"You're absolutely sure it was an Akatsuki cloud?" Pein asked, frowning as Kakuzu nodded in confirmation. "In that case, we have a problem."
"Hn."
"Do we even need to ask, un?"
"He said told you so," Kisame translated, picking at his lunch. Thanks to a bit of strategic hacking, courtesy of Zetsu, the entire Akatsuki had been able to get lunch together. They were currently sitting in the rear of the cafeteria, clustered around one table and trying to figure out what to do about this problem.
"How do we even know these guys are a fucking threat? Probably just some smartass freshmen punks who thought they could ruffle our feathers…"
"Doubtful," Sasori said. "Even the middle school kids fear the Akatsuki now. No, these guys aren't just run of the mill thugs."
"Sempai, are you going to drink your chocolate milk?" Tobi asked.
"You can't have it, un. It'll make you hyper."
"Why are you drinking that stuff?" Sasori asked. "It's nothing but fat."
"Are you calling me fat, un?!"
"No I just-"
SLAP
"Dei, what the hell?!"
"Don't call me fat, un!"
"I didn't!"
"It's ok Deidara," Konan said, reaching over to hug the blonde. "I still think you look smexy!"
"KONAN!" Pein yelled.
"What? Admit it, he looks smexy!"
"Dammit, I forgot my sacrifice!"
"Just as well. Those animals were costing us a fortune," Kakuzu muttered.
"Zetsu, may Tobi have your chocolate milk?"
"Kisame?"
"Yeah Itachi?"
"We're doomed."
-m-
"Those guys don't look too shook up," Kidomaru stated, eyeing the Akatsuki from across the lunchroom. All seven of the Otogakure members were sitting at a lunch table, watching their enemies with calm looks on their faces.
"Nice job on getting us in here," Jirobo said, looking at Kabuto for a brief instant. Zetsu wasn't the only person who knew how to hack the computers for a little schedule alteration.
"No problem," Kabuto said, adjusting his glasses.
"What did you even put in that message?" Sakon asked, looking at Tayuya and Kimimaro.
"Say your prayers, fuckers, and an X through their gay-ass logo."
"Language, Tayuya."
"Shut it, fatass."
"What should we do now, Orochimaru,?" Kimimaro asked.
"Clearly our message has not gotten across to them," the snake answered, eyeing the group on the other end of the lunch room carefully. "I think it's time we gave them a taste of exactly what we can do."
-m-
BOOOOOOOOOOOM
Deidara and Sasori looked up at the noise, somewhat startled. "Brat, what did-"
"That wasn't me, un," Deidara said, eyes wide with shock.
"…Deidara, please tell me you're kidding."
"No, un."
-m-
All the students were told to exit the building immediately. Everyone was laughing and chatting amongst themselves, thinking that it was yet another Akatsuki prank-
Until the ambulances showed up in front of the school.
Pein watched the stretchers carrying the students out of the building, a grim look on his face when he saw the charred and unconscious teenagers. "Dammit, what the hell was Deidara thinking…"
"It wasn't me, un," the blonde said, walking up behind Pein.
"…Deidara, I want you to swear on your life that you had nothing to do with this bombing."
"I swear, un! You know that I never try to hurt people with my bombs! Well, except for a few preps, but they have it coming, un!"
"Alright, I believe you!" Pein said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. His cell phone began buzzing, and he quickly pulled it out, looking at the new text message from Konan.
"I've got Ki, Ka, I, and H here. We're looking 4 Z and T. Where's S and D?"
"Deidara, where's Sasori?"
"No clue, un."
Pein began grumbling as he started texting. "S is AWOL, D is here. D DID NOT SET OFF BOMB."
Pein put up his cell phone just as a familiar blonde woman walked up to the two of them. "Deidara, I need you to come with me."
-m-
"Principal Tsunade, I swear I didn't set off that bomb, un! And have you redecorated lately, un?"
Tsunade was sitting in her office chair, staring across her desk at the blonde male before her. "Yes I have. And about the bomb; Deidara, as unbelievable as this sounds, I believe you."
The sculptor's mouth dropped open, staring in disbelief at his principal. "I know how you work, Deidara," the woman went on, "you set your bombs up in empty gyms, vacant areas of the cafeteria; places far away from where anyone could get hurt."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, un."
Tsunade frowned. "Deidara, let's not get into this now. The reason I brought you in here is because you're a bomber. As such, it's safe to assume that you know other bombers right?"
"I'm not a bomber, Tsunade. But I guess it's possible that a bomber would know other people with the same hobby, un."
"Good. Because the person who set off that bomb in the classroom left us a calling card." Tsunade reached into her desk and pulled out a small card, which she handed to the sculptor.
The paper had a single silver music note on it, with the words, "From Otogakure," scrawled beneath it. "What's an Otogakure, un?" Deidara asked.
"I was hoping you'd know," Tsunade said in a disappointed tone.
"Sorry, no dice, un."
"Deidara, if you're lying to protect a friend…well, just leave."
The blonde stood and crossed the room, heading for the door. "Tsunade," he said, clutching the doorframe.
"Hmm?"
"The beauty of explosions is how brief they are. That's what makes them art, un. But there is nothing artistic about setting off bombs with the intention to hurt someone, un." Without looking back, the bomber left Tsunade's office.
-m-
"Deidara, what'd she say?" Konan asked once her friend reemerged from the school building. Instantly the other Akatsuki members were crowded around as well.
"What's happened?" Pein questioned.
"Are you gonna get suspended?" Kakuzu asked
"Well, brat?"
"She knows that I didn't do it, un," Deidara explained, holding up the card for the others to see. "And she gave us a name to put with our enemies, un." Apparently, we'll dealing with some punks who call themselves the Otogakure."
"Never heard of them," Kisame said.
"Neither have I," Itachi said.
"I'll do some research. We need to find out who these guys are. Before we're all blown to smithereens."
