"It's a boy." The doctor said, handing the baby boy to the woman. The woman smiled, tickling the baby, who giggled happily.
"Excuse me, doctor, but what's this mark on his chest?" the man said, glancing to the doctor.
"We don't know, but it's nothing serious. He seems to have no trouble breathing or such. Just keep an eye on it, and if anything happens, bring him right back here."
"Thank you."
The scene changed, from a hospital to a small, rather barren village. It was mostly dust, with a few patches of grass here and there. A boy, only about 7, made his way to a group of children playing ball.
"Can I play?" the boy asked, brushing blond locks out of his eyes.
"Aren't you that kid from the orphanage?"
"Oh… yeah. Is that a problem?" the boy asked, looking worried.
"Nuh uh, no problem at all!" the children enthused. "Okay, catch!"
They threw the ball, and the blond haired boy caught it. However, it popped as it touched his hands.
"I'm sorry!" the blond haired boy cried.
"That's okay. But… what popped it?"
They ran over, and the blond haired boy opened his hands to reveal mouths in them, teeth sharp and gleaming. The children screamed, as did the boy.
"He's a freak! A freak!"
"My hands!"
The scene changed again.
The boy was about 12 now. His skin dirty, his clothing ragged. It was now in the same village, but a marketplace, stalls filled with wares. The boy's blond hair was longer now… he had probably been without a haircut for a few years.
"Bread…" he whispered, seeing a stall with steaming loaves piled high. He snuck over… and grabbed a loaf.
"Hey! Thief!" the man cried, as the boy fled. However, he was caught by two guards, and thrown to the ground.
"Deidara… you know what the price is for stealing in Iwagakure's market."
"I'm sorry!" Deidara gasped. "I'll give it back!"
"It's contaminated! By… that FREAK'S HANDS!" the seller cried. "I won't take it back now! Punish him! Punish the freak!"
One guard took out a kunai.
"No… please… have mercy!" Deidara cried.
"We don't have mercy on freaks." The guard whispered. There was a vicious stabbing sound, and Deidara cried out in pain.
"Oh god! Oh god! HELP MEEEE!"
The scene changed. It was a back alley. Deidara sat, in the corner, hungry and weak. He put a hand to the small socket where his eye had once been. That had been one year ago…
"Hello?"
Deidara looked up, seeing a woman standing there. "Don't come closer."
"Why not?" the lady said, taking a few steps towards him.
"I'm a freak! I'll contaminate you…"
"Well now… that sounds rather menacing." The lady said, getting down on one knee so she was face to face with Deidara. Deidara could see her eyes, pale and pupiless. She was blind.
"Shall we be freaks together?"
The scene changed again, this time to a lavish mansion. The woman was sitting at a couch, gazing at a spiraling staircase.
"Deidara, come on down."
Deidara descended the steps. He seemed to be about 18 now. Some of his hair was in a ponytail now, the rest brushed over his empty socket. He wore better clothing now, and was cleaner.
"How do you feel? I know you're used to cotton but…"
"Wonderful."
"Oh, if only I could see you." Then, she gasped. "This reminds me. I might be able to."
Deidara's face lit up with happiness. "Really?! That's great!"
"Yes, there is a surgery that I can take that will make my eyes normal… and also, I recently had some technology delivered from the Cloud village. We can replace your eye as well."
Deidara suddenly found his arms wrapping around her. "Thank you!" he cried, jubilantly.
The woman chuckled. "You're quite welcome. We'll both be able to see to our full capacity, won't we? We'll be a team."
"The best." Deidara replied.
The scene changed again, this one to a hospital room. Deidara blinked his eyes open, then looked to the mirror, brushing the hair out of his face. A mechanical eye stared back at him.
"I can see!" he whispered to himself.
The doctor came in. "Do you like it?"
"Yeah!" Deidara said happily. "But how is she?"
"Oh… your guardian? She's fine. She should be up in a couple weeks."
Deidara smiled.
"For now, get your rest. We'll see if your body accepts the eye."
Now it was night.
"I'm sorry, Deidara, but your guardian has a minor infection. We'll see if she pushes through."
Late afternoon.
"Her body isn't accepting the eyes correctly."
Night again.
"I'm afraid she's dead."
The scene changed again. Deidara was standing outside of the hospital, watching it burn to the ground. He chuckled.
"Take that, you sick bastards." He growled.
Another scene change. Deidara was walking across the desert. Long, endless stretches of desert. He looked about 20 now.
"Excuse me. You're Deidara, right?" asked a man behind him. Deidara whipped around.
"So what if I am?"
"We have need of your skills, Deidara. You see, we're a small group of bombers for hire. Terrorist bombers, you would say. And we think you'd be a great addition to the team."
Deidara thought about it. "What's in it for me?"
Another scene change. Deidara was sitting at a table, writing something down. "Rocks, gravel, gunpowder and clay mix…" he whispered, "makes a clay mixture that can explode. Rather then throwing bombs, I believe that this is the power spoken of in the books. The Palm Mouths, able to create living, breathing art. With chakra, they become weapoms that follow your every order!"
Deidara grinned. "I believe I have found my passion. Art! I was born into it! Therefore… I shall worship it. I have nothing else to turn to…"
There was a small pause, then he gave a small laugh. "Long live art!"
Another scene change. Now, Deidara was facing down a man with black hair, wearing the Akatsuki cloak. Deidara was about 23 now and his hair just a bit longer. A village loomed behind them, though which one it was could not be discerned from the outside.
"What do you want?" Deidara grumbled. "You called me over here in the middle of a pretty high class job. My client isn't going to be happy..."
"I don't want your work, Deidara. I want your talents."
"The difference being...?" Deidara grumbled.
"The Palm Mouths… a gift given only to 1 in every 1 million children. The power to make living art. Plus… the mouth in your chest allows you to make yourself into a living bomb. I belive that the group I work for could use these talents, to a greater purpose then... flying around blowing people's heads off."
Deidara frowned. "You know a lot, don't you? Been doing your studying?"
The man smiled, but didn't reply.
"And what if I don't come with you?"
The man gave Deidara a sharp kick to the chest, sending him flying backwards. Deidara hit a rock, and slid down it. He wheezed slightly. Something had been damaged there, he could feel it.
"I have orders to kill you if you don't comply." The man said.
Deidara gasped for air. "Really, hmm?" he said, the grunt at the end his gasp for extra air.
He stood up. "Kill me if you can, hmm. May I know your name before I kick your ass, hmm?"
A small pause. "Itachi Uchiha." Itachi said.
Another scene change. Deidara stood in front of a shadowy figure. He was surrounded by others.
"Deidara. Do you choose to join the Akatsuki?"
"I do. Feels like a fucking wedding, though, hmm."
"Stick to the program, Deidara. Take this kunai."
Zetzu appeared from the shadows, handing Deidara a kunai.
"Slit the heel of your hand, draw your own blood, and cross your headband, in defiance of the village that so cruelly taunted you and called you a freak."
"With pleasure, hmm." Deidara said, and slit the heel of his hand, the tip of the kunai covered in blood, and slashed through the symbol on his headband. "And I'm never going back, hmm."
"Welcome, Deidara, to the Akatsuki." The shadowy figure said. "I am Pein, your leader. Respect my authority at all times."
"Yeah yeah, I get it, hmm."
"Your partner will be Sasori." The leader said, gesturing to a small, red headed boy.
"What the hell, hmm?! He's just a kid."
Suddenly, a needle tipped with poison found its way into Deidara's neck.
"Sasori! Stop poisoning your partners!"
Another scene change. He and Sasori were sitting on the edge of a cliff, overlooking a beautiful sunset.
"Deidara…" Sasori mused.
"Yes, Master Sasori, hmm?"
"You know of my past… but you have never told me yours."
There was a small pause. "May I learn of it?"
"I don't like to talk about it, hmm." Deidara said.
Sasori looked disappointed. "Fair enough." He said.
"And no truth serums either, hmm."
"You know me too well, Deidara."
Deidara opened his eyes. He saw nothing above him. Just the tops of grey buildings and black sky. It was night, probably. Looking around, he saw Sasori, also waking up.
"Where are we?" the boy mused.
"I think we're inside the Key Gate."
"Crap! We're in Key City." Sasori said, and then let out a vulgar curse in a language Deidara didn't understand.
"Is that bad, hmm?" Deidara asked.
"Yeah. It is." Somebody said. The pair looked up, seeing a man with white hair that fell to his shoulders.
"What the hell are you two doing here?" the man grumbled, drawing out a three bladed scythe.