A/N: I had the sudden urge to write some loosely Greek based material... very loosely based. So here we go! The tale of Pygmalion and Galatea told through witchcraft and Naruto.

Only in fanfic am I right?

I own nothing.

xXx

Deidara had a gift

Like most young wizards his age he had access to the celestial power that burned deep within him. A vastly superior force to chakra, it acted more as a tool to bend reality and miracle to his whim.

But, just a bend that is.

Where other wizards could harness the elements such as fire, gravity, and other such tangible things; Deidara had the ability to shape. His simplistic form of alchemy met enchantment and from it came his special brand of creation.

Sculpting.

Which is to say, he could summon earth, and mold almost anything out of it. Be it little trinkets or even the finest of statues, it was worked perfectly by his hands to mirror the likeness of anyone who was willing to pay the right price. For an added fee they could even move too an extent, a fine centerpiece wanted by many of his wealthy clients.

And for an even greater price he could sweeten the deal, having the adding feature of being able to ignite these creations into a sizable explosion was an added bonus he didn't advertise too often. But often anyway was he approached by the shadier variety to perhaps make some "special" gifts for their friends. Friends they wanted to blow up...

But hey, a mans got to make a living right?

His work, of both natures, were known far and wide from Oto to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and that is where we first find him in our story.

Sparking up a sale.

iIiIiIi

"Hokage-Sama... I don't think this is a very wise decision."

"Nonsense Shikamaru! Gaara had a full body statue of himself made and it'd be stupid of me not to follow suit. All the cool Kages are doing it!"

Naruto Uzumaki, 7thHokage of the Leaf village had made special summon of Deidara to fulfill a impulsively driven request. Erect a 20 foot statue in his likeness to place outside the academy grounds.

"Yes, but do you know how much money that thing is going to cost? Not to mention it'll be a complete eyesore-"

"I assure you. *ahem* Nara-San, was it? My creations are no eyesores. They are masterpieces. Masterpieces don't come cheap, but I'd be willing to perhaps make a Kage discount? 10k off?" A long haired Deidara said with a cheesy grin. "90,000 dollars is a steal if you ask me."

It was said that Deidara wasn't the most honorable of men, perhaps not the most respectable either and his attire was indicative of that. The man only bothered to put on a pair of grey jeans instead of shorts because the Konoha ambassador had insisted on it and his top was a long sleeve black Tee with the solo toon depiction of a multicolored tongue lashing through its middle. Fingerless black gloves that didn't even come off to greet the Hokage, and to top it off, the loose topknot of unforgiving blonde hair did little to keep the rogue mess out of his face.

At least he was comfy.

Shikamaru knew better though. "You'll forgive me if I don't think you have his best interest af-"

"Deal!" Naruto stuck his hand out before his shocked assistant could protest and Deidera shook it with vigor.

"Ahh, a wise choice indeed Hokage-sama! Meet me at the school tomorrow at about noon and we'll have it finished in an afternoon."

Naruto was already all smiles about the whole situation, but this was unexpected.

"Wow, it'll really be that fast huh? You really are worth every penny."

"Speaking of! Naruto this will cost a ton, you can't really expect the council to approve this amount for something as vain as a statue?"

"Calm down Shikamaru. This is coming out of my own wallet."

Naruto stood from his desk so that he could get a better view of his village. In the distance he could see the rising city like structure above the Hokage Cliff but below, not even a mile from his tower was the academy. Where the young and able of the village trained every day to become great warriors that may some day lead their country as he did.

"I looked up to those old farts every day with stars in my eyes and I can honestly say it's part of the reason I'm here. A statue of my father inspired me. I want the same for my boy, and every generation that follows."

He looked back at the cliff and studied the place where his own bust should appear, and thought about how he'd turned down the idea.

"My image is for the future, not my vanity."

'Man this guy is the real deal. Maybe I should actually give him that discount?... nah.'

Deidara let out a weak yawn as he stood to take his leave.

"Until tomorrow gentlemen."

xXx

Deidara found a suitable plot of land, just nearing the center of the schools courtyard. He pulled his fingerless glove from his right hand and placed it to the ground. A blue shimmer erupted from his fingertips and a slow rumble bellowed from beneath him. In seconds he was propelled into the air as 20ft of unshapened clay erupted seemingly from the earths surface.

"Your magic is quite impressive." A distant voice shouted from beneath him.

"Hm?" Deidara had leapt gracefully from atop the mound and now had a hand under his chin as he contemplated his approach on Naruto's statue.

He didn't bother looking to his admirer.

Instead he began to sculpt. Naruto was running late but he'd already had his vision in mind. His hands raised to face the mound as if praising it and then they began to swick and flick like a conductor. Slow and methodical, as his hands moved, solid mounds of clay began to fall to the ground while others flattened and curved to persaude it into a human form.

"Deidara-San-"

"SHH!" Deidara's eyes where already closed to focus through the beaming mid day sunlight and the clamoring chatter of passing children as they 'ooed' and 'awed' at his work.

This additional distraction however was beginning to become a nuisance.

"But-"

"What?!" Deidara dropped his hands and with it the magic that held at least a hundred pounds of lose clay that had yet to find their place. Sending it crash unceremoniously in moist 'thuds' around the budding statue.

"I-I just wanted to introduced myself."

Deidara looked down in search of the voice and found a cropped head of pink hair, big green eyes, and a dainty little hand in his face.

"Sakura Haruno, the Hokage's magical studies consultant, it's nice to meet you."

Deidara studied the hand for a moment and decided, though bothersome, best not to make enemies. He took the hand in his after a brief contemplation and noted just how delicate she felt in his grip.

He raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"You seem a bit... small to be practicing magic, yeah?" It was true, magical ability was often measured off of stamina for the most part. Deidera was on the greater side of 6ft and had enough physical endurance to keep his magic up to par with any average wizard. But this girl had to be 5'3 at best, with no real distinguishing features beyond her bizarre hair color.

"You'd be wrong."

He regretted his words immediately when he felt his bones collapse in on each other from the ferocity of her grip with a sickening snap as three fingers broke almost simultaneously.

Her laughter was full hearted as he rolled around in anguish from the sudden attack. He raised his hand from the beneath her to stike but she caught his fist with ease.

"Ah! let go you-"

"Oh calm down blondie. You earned that one, but I can fix it."

Deidara looked in awe at his enclosed fist as broken hand began to shape back into it's wholesome form. All five fingers intact, the palm in the middle undisturbed. And the pain distant.

'Inhuman strength and the ability to heal? Clearly she has magic of the body covered.' Deidara thought to himself.

"May I ask wich art you command? Earth? Fire? Perhaps both?" Sakura had since released the man in favor of observing the incomplete statue. Her hands glided along the clay and it could have tricked her for marble.

"You bitch..." Deidara grabbed at his assaulted left hand and shook at the now phantom pain.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Sakura turned to face him. Face just as cheery as when she snapped his finger bones.

"I said, guess." He lied.

"Mhm, sure you did." But Sakura wasn't one to ignore a challenge. "I say earth!" She exclaimed.

Deidara made a noise like a buzzer.

"Ehh!" Pushing past her to continue his work. Raising his hand like a conductor once more and continuing his song.

"Then explain?" Sakura watched in curious awe as Deidara ignored her. The sudden experience had been a bit painful, and entirely too distracting. If he were to stop now he would lose grasp of his muse entirely.

He couldn't have that.

She was a bit peeved at the mans attitude, but that kind of laser like focus was truly something to admire. Watching him move so gracefully to ensue life into something that would inherently never even move. A fine creation she thought, more suitably, a masterpiece, that more perfected Naruto than it did resemble him.

"He's so..." Sakura's jaw was slack and she found herself observing the statue of her Hokage entirely too long.

"Perfect."

The pinkette jumped at the un-introduced the voice.

"Makes me look like a Greek god or somethin."

"Jesus. Don't scare me like that you idiot!" Sakura sent an aggressive right hook to the blondes right arm and he managed to only muster a single tear.

"Ouch!!" Naruto rubbed the offended arm but couldn't take his eyes off the statue. Where his hands bared scares from years of leading mean into battle, the statues were clean, yet distinguished. His unruly hair still looked wild but as if in a controlled chaos. The signature smile that always adorned his face seemed to show no limit to its shine even in its clay finish.

It truly was flawless.

"A god huh?" Deidara stepped back to join the two in admiring a job well done. "Well Pygmalion has nothing on me."

"I got to thank you Deidara. Shikamaru was a bit skeptical, but now I can rub this masterpiece in his face. So I appreciate-"

Naruto had turned to shake the mans hand only to see him walking away already, a peace sign behind his head.

"Your assistant has my account information, Hokage. Until next time!"

Naruto shrugged and turned back to admire his new image. The decision to permanently solidify himself into statue seemed a good one.

Deidara was almost around the corner before he felt a insistent tapping on his shoulder.

"Deidara-San! You never told me exactly what your affinity is."

Deidara looked back much to his distain to see Sakura. Eyes excited and curios after witnessing his powers first hand.

"My affinity is..." Deidara had often been asked this question by fellow magic users, but he'd never been a hundred percent sure on how to respond. A piece of him wanted to just say it was the ability to shape earth, not necessarily control it. But another part of him knew there was something more, an artificial charm that seemed to add itself to each of his creations like a signature. Which is to say, whoever it was made for seemed to be drawn to it beyond compare. As if there was something more at work than simple admiration.

People loved his work more than what it was based off of and he thought it to be part of the magic.

"Creation. I can create things." His response was curt, and he was hoping it'd be enough to get her to go away. But of course it wasn't.

"Out of clay? Wood? Anything?" Her curiosity only seemed to double and Deidera suddenly remembered how uncomfortable he got talking to strangers.

"Usually clay." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little bird like trinket, as big as the palm of his hand, it was endowed with the basic movements of wing flapping and the ability to open and close its mouth as if chirping. "Here, hopefully this will answer any other questions you have." He plopped the bird into her open hands and made to leave but once again felt the tug on his hand.

'Man she has a grip like an ape!...'

Deidara held in a girlish yelp as he looked to see her possibly triply excited.

'Well that took no time backfiring.' He thought, mentally cursing himself for giving the girl the time of day.

"Tell me Deidara, do you have time for another job before you leave the Leaf?"

He gulped down his rising anxiety and wiped himself down after she released him.

"Sure..."

"Then please. Whatever you can do with this."

Sakura pulled a small wallet from her skirt hem and from it a small photo of a blonde woman and Sakura both laughing together next to a park bench.

"She was my best friend." she held the picture at arms length and her grip on it only tightened when he went to reach for it.

"What's in it for me?" He asked, getting the hint as he retracted his hand.

Sakura took back the picture and placed it carefully in her pocket as he leaned in to get a better look.

"A chance to make the greatest creation you've ever sculpted in your life."

Deidara scoffed at the idea. They both looked over at his recreation of the Hokage.

"I perform miracles daily, what makes you think your request is any different?"

"Well..." she snatched his hands in hers before he could get away.

"Oh no, not again-"

"Relax!! Relax..."Her hands hummed green and Deidara relaxed when he realized she wasn't going to pulverize his hands again. "You're an artist. You must want to discover things beyond your own ability... right?"

The humming continued and Deidara began to feel something strengthen in his palms. The magical pull that guided his sculpt seemed to fortify in her grip.

"I offer you the aid of my own magic, if you will do this for me."

She released her hands from his and immediately he missed the comfort of their power.

"I don't know..." Deidara looked down at his own glove covered hands in awe. He'd never even entertained the idea that there was something beyond his capabilities. What was possible? Independent creations? Unyielded charm?

Life?

"Scared?" Sakura's optimism faltered as she observed Deidara's distant astonishment. "I should've known you wouldn't be up to it... Good work on Naruto's ego project I suppose though. Good day Deidara-San."

She took her leave as she left to join the Hokage, but it was her turn to feel the tug on her shoulder.

"You think we can make something greater?"

Sakura beamed up at him, a toothy smile on her face.

"I know we can."

xXx

"So you want her to move? I can already do that..."

"Well yeah, but more than that. I want her to-"

"And you want "perfect"? Every mound of clay I've ever shaped has been no less than devine!"

Deidara and Sakura sat adjacent to each other for coffee on Sakura's loft. The former becoming visibly irritated at what Sakura was asking him to do.

"Would you calm down already? Look. I just want you to come close. This won't be easy, even for you." Sakura pulled the picture from her wallet once more, this time handing it to him. Deidara took the time to truly study the woman. The man was an artist and he wouldn't hold his tongue to tell you so. So when presented with art of any form, he's a tad bit critical.

However, it took him longer than he'd like to admit to realize that the woman in picture was that of natural perfection and not one imagined.

Her eyes shined like the layered frost of a frozen lake, and he'd never felt warmth in light of so much cold but the blue did something to warm his heart. Already so soon in his observation and he found himself wondering if art like this spoke.

Not to say he thought she was mute. But he was curious what she spoke on, what her mind was hungry to discuss. But that smile looked so carefree and it had him wondering what does a girl like this worry about, strive for, reach for.

"Deidara?"

Or did, he supposed.

That's when he saw her hands. One carefully interlocked with Sakura's and the other swatting away a stream of platinum hair from the frame of her face. He imagined they were as soft as the clay he molded.

"Deidara!"

How cold did they grow when she died?

And the smile. It was so genuine, he could almost hear her laughter. The smiles he carved into things always seemed to be somewhat fleeting. Like it was only for the camera, a quick disingenuous gesture that was still beautiful. But hers. All of her reminded him of-

"FUCK. OW!" Deidara cringed in pain at the sharp jab to his thigh under the table.

"What are you thinking about over there?... and close your mouth."

"That she reminds me of" Deidara was rarely stumped, he'd always been able to express himself, but something about this beautiful specimen tied his tongue and stilled his mind. "Unrehearsed laughter. Something about her is just so real... raw even." He decided. "This is just a picture, but I've met people who are far less alive than this."

"At least pretend like you've seen a beautiful woman before... but that's very nice of you to say."

"How'd it happen?" Someone this beautiful, and so young. Curiosity gnawed at him as he thought of her untimely demise. She could've been no older than 24.

"The last great conflict was a strange time for us magic users as you must imagine." Sakura fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat, the topic always proved to be a bit much for her and Deidara could see it in her face.

But he wasn't about to halt her explanation.

"Many of us... many of us played a role in the battle field. The Inuzakas tearing apart the enemy with enhanced strength like wolves. Elementist like Gaara could sink whole army's benaeath their feet. The Uchiha, burning down entire villages with a simple blow of their breath. The alliance pulled no punches with their violence, but then there was us." Sakura blinked slowly as she looked at her pocket picture of the two of them. "The support. I ran a field clinic on the border of Oto for the length of the cities siege. Solider and mages alike came back with intense trauma. It was my job to fix that, and I was damn good at it."

Deidara thought fondly of their first encounter as he squeezed his hand in its phantom pain.

"It was her job to take care of what I could not. Calm the panicked... soothe the screams. Her magic allowed her to transfer her being into that of another for shorts amount of time, and control them at will. She was amazing... diving into the minds of many without hesitation when their mental anguish was all but tearing them apart."

"Sounds like you two did some noble work out there." Deidara stirred his lukewarm cup of coffee in silence. He thought about how he'd been there too. But safely in a border town far away from the carnage, providing his special brand of explosive to whichever side of the battlefield paid best.

He almost allowed a small apology fueled by guilt to swell on the tip of his tongue, instead he washed it down with the rest of the coffee

It tasted just as bitter.

"Noble or not. When it was over, she didn't come back."

He now had a better understanding of why but Deidara still struggled with the what concerning what Sakura wanted him to do.

"Im not the most humble guy, but what I am is a realist. And honestly I don't think I can improve on someone like-"

"You're mistaken. I don't want you to improve, I just want you to replicate. I'll take care of the rest"

"How do you mean?"

Sakura fixed her mouth to speak but instead pulled the small clay bird Deidara had gifted her from her pocket. Her hands hummed green and the bird began to fly and chirp on its own. It floated away from the open balcony and went beyond their sight as they both watched in awe.

"My theory was correct. Our magic abilities seem to be a bit unique by any standards, but more importantly, they're compatible. I've done my research on you, and I really think you might be the one to do this."

The act was impressive, he'd admit, Deidara had only been able to get his creations to move small strides and repeat repetitive movements at best. But this was on a whole other level. This was independent action beyond what magic should be capable of.

'Should'

"But that can't be more than a shell, right? It's not as if that's a real bird. We can't just craft souls."

"I think I have the solution to that. It lies in her sudden death."

"What exactly went down anyway?" He asked before he could help himself.

There it was again, that burning curiosity.

"I-I... I can't remember honestly. I get flashes of it it sometimes. People screaming. I'm screaming. The only thing I know fore sure is that I lost something... someone. And then I can remember her face over mine telling me she was going to help me, that it was going to be ok. But it wasn't. Because when I woke up, Ino had that abandoned look on her face and I knew..." Sakura swatted angrily at the tears that began to fall freely now.

"Sakura you don't have to-"

" I knew! That selfish bitch made me her last patient. Whatever demos she tried to soothe in my mind was too much for her and she couldn't make it back to her own mind!! Do you know how that feels? Waking up and everything you live for is just...gone." Sakura's voice only got quieter as she spoke and Deidara found himself leaning in to hear. "It's like I can still feel her screaming from the inside, just trying to claw her way out. She's in here." Sakura tapped rather harshly at her chest. "So don't worry about the soul part Deidara-San. I'll take care of that. I'll get her out of there. I have too. She's my best friend."

He thought it over.

Firstly. He wasn't too sure this would even work. Which is to say he somewhat doubted his ability to make something that breathtaking as well as Sakura's ability to bring it to life. And secondly. Could he really forsake his own mortality to delve into something so taboo? There was no witching law that restricted his ability to breed life with magic but was that more a fault of the law or because something like this had never been done before?

"You're staring of into space again."

"Hm?" Deidara shook his head and looked back to the girl, her look was hopeful and she awaited eagerly for his input.

"If we do this... Hell, why would I do this? Exceeding myself is one thing yeah, but this?" Deidera had his curiosity's but at the end of the day he still had to look out for himself.

"Fame."

"Pardon?" Deidara was already known far and wide for he signature sculptors, one more couldn't possibly change his public view.

"Fame and satisfaction on a level you can't even comprehend. Imagine." Sakura framed his face with the use of her hand formed camera lense. "The wizard that bred life no witch or wizard will ever be able to boast that they did that, let alone top it."

Deidara admitted to himself that he may have lost this round. She played to his curiosity, his ego, and even his fleeting sympathy. He scrounged for a reason to say no, but ultimately the feeling deep in his gut said he had to do this.

He had to meet this girl.

"Where are we going to do this?"

ililili

Sakura settled on the Yamanaka home. Ino's mother had hesitated at first but being widowed and left without a daughter due to the extremes of the conflict, she felt that this perhaps wasn't the worst idea. It helped that Deidara's charm and professionalism held up and that Sakura seemed to truly trust in his ability.

"Sakura dear. My Ino is a beautiful memory. A amazing girl turned memory quite too soon. But if you think there's even a chance you can bring my little girl back to me." She made to finish her words of approval but instead decided to hug the pinkette as a river of tears began to run over her words.

She left them to it in the family garden. Typically the garden was lush and vibrant filled with every color imaginable but fall was brewing. So where various shades of greens and blues once bloomed, there were yellow and red rusting colors covering the plants. Blanketing the garden in a cold, dry crimson.

"It's kinda peaceful in a way." Deidera remarked to himself more then anybody. The soft crunch of fallen leaves could be heard beneath them and the cool whistling of the winds picking up as they strolled towards the gardens center. A grand marble wishing well that had been drained for the coming cold months.

"I suppose this will do."

"You want me to use marble?"

"Is that a problem?"

Deidara thought about it and couldn't find a real issue with it. If it had some trace element of pliable earth then his magic could cut through it. Clay had just always been the most logical choice considering how visibly pleasing and available it was.

"As if something as small as that would be a problem... step back."

The pinkette obeyed and Deidara moved to place his hand on the edge of the well. His hand hummed and the marble mass began to morph into a vertical mass that could support itself.

"I'll need complete silence." Once again Sakura complied, this time with a nod.

Deidara couldn't help but notice how coincidentally the world around them complied as well. The winds hushed, birds fluttered away, and the little garden squirrels ceased their gathering as if to sit and watch the man.

He felt power surge through him as he concentrated. He'd performed "miracles" before yes, but this. This had to be something beyond. His hands sang like humming birds, they're palmed center emitting any eery green glow. Deidara looked once more at a photo Sakura had given him and thought about his typical artistic process. How his hands would talk to the earth. They'd communicate and flow with one another, as intimate as lovers but bearing the beauty of life being born.

But this time, he looked to the marble mass at eye level, lifted his arms, and relaxed his wrist as their sway prepared to speak once more. To tell a lie the size of God's hands.

xXx

A/N: I wasn't satisfied with the length of the chapters. So I'm combining these, doing some light editing, and aiming to release chapters of similar length. New content soon! Tell me what you think guys. I love the reviews I've been given so far(: