True Lightning
Chapter 3
"You took your time." Sasori reprimanded, directing most of his judgement towards the blond. Sasori sat in the exact same spot that they had left him, leaving Maiko to entertain the thought that regardless of how fast they had been he would have addressed them the same way. Deidara didn't bother to reply, instead choosing to eye the two new guests in the cavern.
Seated on a shadowed ledge towards the rear of the cavern were two cloaked figures. Maiko observed both characters, one wore a cloak identical to that of Deidara and Sasori's, the second wore plain black and an orange mask; moulded into a swirl that centred on his right eye.
"Please tell me that's not-" Deidara was abruptly cut off.
"Deidara-Senpai! It's been so long!" With unbridled celerity, the masked man was upon Deidara, whooping as he wrapped his arms around the blond.
"Get off me you idiot!" Deidara pushed to no avail. Suddenly, the masked man dropped from Deidara's side and peered around the blond. Maiko gave an unimpressed frown as the masked man spotted her. The two watched each other for several moments. Maiko's gaze was one of confusion but calculating none the less, attempting to understand how such an eccentric character could be involved with the Akatsuki. The mask of the opposing man, however, gave no indication of his thoughts. After a moment longer of tense observation, the masked man spoke.
"Why Deidara...you did not mention…you had a girlfriend." As if suddenly revitalized by his new deduction, the masked man came tumbling towards Maiko at full speed, arms waving comically with excitement. Maiko swiftly stepped to the side to avoid being tackled to the ground by the incoming blur. The blur wasted no time in turning to grab her hand, and began to violently shake it with intense fervor.
"Hi Mrs. Deidara-Senpai, My name is Tobi! I didn't think Deidara had a girlfriend! He never talks to girls, or maybe girls never talk to him-"
"Tobi! Shut up! Hm," Deidara gave a glare of warning. Maiko remained silent as the man continued to shake her hand, uncertain of how to address the masked man.
"Oh wow, Deidara-Senpai seems mad that I'm-"
"Tobi, enough." Tobi was silenced by a voice, powerful and dripping with finality. Everyone turned their attention to the source.
"Maiko." The man stepped towards her as she turned to face him. She noted his appearance as he stepped into the light, his most striking feature being eyes; the sclera purple and ringed, and seemed to glow with unnaturalness, like water in the middle of a desert. "I am Pein, leader of the Akatsuki."
Maiko gave a slight, insincere smile, "I suppose there is no reason to introduce myself."
Pein ignored her bitter comment and continued. "I understand that it is unlikely that you entirely comprehend the purpose or actions of the Akatsuki. But all Akatsuki members come to realise that this organisation is beneficial to them as rogue ninja." He extended his palm, upon it rested a silver ring with a glazed face of rich burgundy; engraved with the symbol for 'flint'. She took the ring and briefly examined the ring between her fingers before sliding it on. 'Flint?''
"Although…I also understand that you are unlike the other members. Your purpose in life is not solely selfish." Maiko resisted a frown. Pein had so off-handedly mentioned things only she should know. Again she was reminded that the Akatsuki had certainly done their research.
"Here is where our interests align. The Akatsuki beyond anything else is set to amend the corruption of the shinobi world, Kirigakure is no exception, and you will become a great asset in our campaign." He spoke with such definite authority and power.
She hated it.
She had little information of this man's plans but she doubted them already. Sasori had spoken with such ease and lack of concern when speaking of the same plan that he could have told her the sky is red and she would have doubted herself. But Pein, he spoke with this air of righteousness that won't consider any word against his.
She listened carefully albeit with slight discomfort from his previous comment, but despite her doubt, he was still the only man to have proposed a any action for her homeland.
So she held her tongue, resisting the temptation to question him. 'Bide your time. You need to think before rushing into anything recklessly.'' Seemly picking up her hesitance, he levelled her with a concerned frown. "We will discuss long term plans for your village at a later date."
The mention of corruption in Kirigakure had sparked an hungry flame of passion in Maiko, fuelled by the realisation she had no long term plan for Kirigakure. Her end result was clear but the procedure was nonexistent. On her own it was impossible to even enter Kirigakure. The political situation would not be resolved with words nor violence, it would take nothing less than government infiltration and manipulation. 'The Akatsuki seems to be an open door, as long as I survive and play by their rules, I can help. All I need now, is time to evaluate the Kirigakure situation and see how the Akatsuki's resources fit in.'
Pein handed her own infamous clouded cloak. Donning the cloak and smoothing the thick material down her sides, she turned back to face the leader.
"Very well, what am I to do, Pein-Sama?" adjusting her attitude, Maiko inquired quite submissively.
"The partner of Itachi Uchiha will be absent on a long term mission. In his absence you will assist Itachi on his missions. He will be here shortly." Maiko nodded in response, not missing the disgusted face Deidara made behind Pein the moment Itachi Uchiha's name was mentioned. "That is all, we will be taking our leave," he gave a slight nod before calling for Tobi to depart.
Maiko watched Pein walk towards the entrance, before stumbling back as a black and orange blur tackled her side. Two arms wrapped around her waist, much to Maiko's horror.
"Goodbye Mrs. Deidara Senpai!" Tobi cried as he released her from his arms before trailing after Pein. Maiko gave a horrified glare towards the quickly retreating figure as Deidara gave a groan in response to his parting comment.
Having lost sight of Pein and Tobi, the three remaining in the cavern turned towards each other. Deidara gave a slight grin. "Welcome to the Akatsuki, hm."
Maiko stretched her hand out in front of her, admiring the silver ring on her middle finger. In the shade it glowed like purple velvet, shimmering almost. As light reflected off the face, it was revealed to be a rich, blood-like red. She noted the way it hugged at her finger tightly, not unlike a snake constricting its prey.
"Flint. Does it mean something?" Maiko inquired plainly as she rotated the ring through the light.
"We all have rings, each one has its own word, but what they mean...I don't know. Hm." Deidara replied as he gave his own ring a glance. "...You're going to be partnered with Itachi." He said suddenly, his face distorting into an expression of what Maiko could only describe as contempt.
"Is there something that I should know?" Maiko raised an eyebrow, turning her question to Sasori who had been silently observing the proceedings.
She was concerned. If Deidara couldn't stand the man he must be as intolerable as Tobi.
"Itachi Uchiha should not cause any issues as a partner. This is merely Deidara's one-sided rivalry with the Uchiha."
Maiko's relief was quickly replaced by condemnation and so levelled Deidara with an unimpressed stare.
"I'm just warning you, try not to drown in his arrogance, hm!" Deidara ignored her scoff.
"Thankfully, listening to you and Sasori argue about your 'art' has granted me the ability to float," she answered, rolling her eyes.
"You should be thankful to have been educated by those arguments!"
"Educated? I think I already knew the definition of pretentiousness."
Maiko heard Sasori mutter something about their combined stupidity and turned around with an extravagant flick of his tail, as an enraged Deidara began lecturing her on the meaning of his art. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasori freeze; as if doused with a bucket of ice water, and agitatedly began twisting his tail before giving a frustrated sigh. She saw the back of Sasori's wooden body uncurl, interlocked wooden spines opening outwards to reveal a mass of red. She turned away from Deidara, instead, placing her interest in Sasori.
"-Hey! Listen, hm!" Deidara rolled his eyes as he followed her gaze. "Oh."
From within the large wooden body emerged another figure, cloaked in the Akatsuki garb. Maiko frowned as the figure was revealed to be a boy, no older than herself, with hair of rusted red and chocolate brown eyes that carried a bored stare as he stepped out of the wooden carcass. The red-headed boy then, without hesitation, went about examining the tail of the empty puppet, ignoring her and Deidara's stares.
"That is Sasori's real body?" She asked. Sasori looked up briefly before losing interest and returning to his work, closely monitoring the movements of each joint of the metal tail. "I had assumed he would be older," Maiko stated impassively. This garnered a response from Sasori who gave a short chuckle, before he found the source of his discontent and began work on the malfunctioning component.
Deidara and Maiko stood in silence as Sasori quickly went about tightening a loose joint on the tail. He bent and curved the tail around, checking its flexibility before straightening his cloak as he stood and walked towards the pair.
"This may resemble my original body, but it is a far more resilient and improved than flesh." Under closer scrutiny, Maiko realised his skin held a dull, hollow colour. Like blank paper. Or a doll.
"Your body is a puppet," she stated. Maiko had operated almost exclusively in the Hidden Mist, a place where puppetry was a rarity as most puppet masters held positions in the Hidden Sand. But she had encountered puppet users from time to time; trespassers from the Hidden Sand. None had posed too major a threat and she assumed none held the honour of being deemed puppet masters. Her assumptions were proven right as she glanced between the empty puppet on the floor and the boy that stood before her, none had puppets quite like these.
"Impressed?" Maiko gave Sasori a brief and distant examination, eyeing the almost invisible seams of weapon compartments, before blinking away her curiosity.
"I prioritize utility over decor."
Sasori's smug demeanour dissolved instantly. "No practicality need be sacrificed when you know what you are doing."
"I doubt that."
Sasori scoffed at her presumptuousness. "You know nothing of puppetry. Know what you form opinions upon."
Maiko gave him a final once over, finalizing her judgement before throwing him a narrow stare. "You could have remade your entire body structure into something better suited to combat, yet you chose to keep the weaker albeit more aesthetically pleasing human body." Deidara choked on air and proceeded to have a coughing fit beside the pair. "You can build a badly designed bridge with better materials, but it doesn't make it a good bridge."
Sasori gave a slight twitch, watching Maiko closely as she finished her criticisms. He stretched out his arms at his sides, flexing the joints of his fingers. He gave a lopsided grin as looked up, a furious glint in his eye.
"For a girl who knows nothing, you sure have a lot to say."
The air was tense, Maiko monitored Sasori closely. She recognised that she had hit a nerve and anticipated some form of retaliation, he seemed more inclined towards a physical response.
Deidara wanting no part in the conflict, jumped back and settled himself upon the ledge to observe.
"Merely an observation, Sasori," she ended offhandedly. Maiko was curious as to what he was capable of. She held no doubt that he would be in a completely new league to the puppeteers she had fought prior. 'Fighting a master of a new style could be...informative. It would also be useful to know the standard of my new colleagues.''
"Maybe firsthand experience will teach you the error of your theories."
She flipped backwards as senbon barraged her position, tugging her katana from its sheath as she landed. 'He is proving the capabilities of that puppet, he won't use the empty one then, nor will he summon any.' Her assumption was seemingly proven correct as Sasori removed his Akatsuki cloak to reveal large blades that fanned from his obliques, and a coiled cable in the alcove of his stomach. 'Taunting me to fight close range, hm, seems like I'm not the only curious one.' Sasori gave a smug snort at her defensive seriousness.
"Regardless of your ill informed criticisms, this body is an invincible walking weapon."
"Shall we test that theory?"
Deidara watched on boredly as the pair traded blows, occasionally being forced to relocate when Sasori's long range offences veered towards him. From what he could tell, neither Maiko nor Sasori were giving the fight much effort. Sasori; too prideful, could only use the weapons of one puppet, limiting his abilities to only a fraction of his arsenal. But Deidara saw no reason for Maiko to be restricting herself. Not one jutsu had she used the entire time.
Attempting to solve the question, he watched as she jumped from the constricting reaches of Sasori's cable, landed for a fraction of a second on the wall, before launching herself at Sasori.
She was fast, and certainly capable with a katana, but it was clear she wasn't going to finish the fight with that alone.
'A well placed trap of bombs would have this fight finished in seconds...she can't deflect bombs with her little sword.' He smiled at the idea, but was sobered by the memory of her file. There had been plenty of information, most of which related to a certain ability, jutsu almost.
"Tired, Maiko? The weakness of flesh is almost laughable." Maiko sneered, attempting to calm her short breaths.
"Not at all." Deidara scoffed. "It seems your metal upgrades have made little difference when placed against my blade," she gestured to the abandoned cable, which had been cut cleanly through. Deidara stared on amused as Sasori plainly refused to acknowledge the disregarded metal on the floor.
"Perhaps you would be a little less lively given the challenge of my full potential."
"I could say the same to you, after all, I didn't feel the need to use a jutsu during the entirety of this little spar, speaks volumes of your 'invincible walking weapon' does it not?"
Deidara groaned as he received the answer to his question. 'These two are nothing but prideful psychopaths.'
The pair stared eachother down, Sasori clearly irritated and Maiko clearly tired, and both clearly wanting the whole situation to be diffused. They both opened their mouths to speak, Deidara praying that they would call it a day, but were instead interrupted.
"Maiko."
All three barely suppressed a flinch, surprised by the sudden realisation that a fourth party had entered the cavern.
Maiko turned her head to the source of the voice to find another cloaked figure.
"Yes?" A familiar black and red cloak splayed around the figure as he took measured strides further into the cavern. He stopped, and Maiko turned herself around to meet onyx eyes.
"I am Itachi Uchiha."
Published: 1/17
Revised: 1/18
MissLightningStrike
