Pein Consults
Deidara
I don't own Naruto.
Deidara strolled into the chamber in his usual casual manner, acknowledging Konan with a nod before bowing slightly to his leader. Taking a seat and noticing that Pein was busy shifting through all his paperwork, the blonde decided to use the spare time and mold some of his clay into something ingenius. He assumed that it was okay because Konan was making origami beside their leader as well; but then again, Pein always had a soft spot on the blue-haired woman.
"You are quite an exceptional shinobi, Deidara," Pein's voice broke the blonde out of his concentration. He looked up to find his leader reading his profile. "Due to your unique ability your performance in this organization is quite something to behold. Also, I hear that you are quite famous in your home village of Iwagakure, despite the fact that you have long defected form the Rock Village. Not every missing-nin gains respect, you see."
"Er, thank you, leader-sama, hmm," said Deidara, unsure if Pein was giving him a genuine compliment or using it as an opening to a more serious conversation. Or both.
"Now, I've been looking through our members' reasons for joining Akatsuki," said Pein, frowning at Deidara's profile. "Here it says you've joined the Akatsuki 'on a whim'. Is this supposed to be a bad joke, or are you going to leave the next time you feel whimsical?"
Deidara laughed a little sheepishly. "Rest assured, leader-sama, that was a joke, yeah. An artist like me tend to get whimsical... a lot, mm."
"I see," said Pein, expression unchanging. "I've heard often about your views as an... artist. I would like an explanation."
Deidara brightened up immediately. Finally, someone who appreciates my art as it is, yeah!
"It's quite simple, leader-sama!" He cried enthusiastically, pulling out a lump of clay out of his utility belt and molding it into a sparrow with skilled hands; how many birds had he molded for the last three years? Enough to reduce a mountain to rubble, plus a little more.
"I believe that art is something that can only last for a short while, mm; anything that lasts too long becomes boring and tedious, and that's not art, mm." Now the blonde teenager was becoming passionate; his breath began to quicken, and some kind of a wild light began glittering in his eyes. "True art is something that flashes brilliantly in a single moment, then vanishes like it came, yeah; thus every true art is unique, mm. No two artwork can be the same, and nothing lasts more than a single moment, yeah."
"Explosion is the true essence of true art, hmm. It lasts for only a short moment, but is the most brilliant in that single moment, yeah. It's the art that I've always longed to work upon, and that's why I decided to accquire the jutsu passed down Iwa that allows me to - "
" - knead chakra into clay, yes, I've heard of it." Pein's calm words shocked Deidara out of his frenzy.
"How did you know?" The blonde asked his leader with his voice slightly shaking.
"Like I said, you're a celebrity," said Pein. "I am perfectly aware that all your jutsu concerning your Exploding Clay is a kinjutsu that is passed down Iwagakure. It would make sense that you stole the jutsu and fled the village on purpose."
"It was to carry my art to a greater degree, yeah!" Deidara exclaimed; strangely he wasn't angry, but rather esctatic as the memory flooded into him again. "Before the defection all I did was make lifeless clay sculptures all day, un; not that they were ugly, but it just wasn't ART! Hmm!"
"When I was fleeing from Iwa I was chased by a Jonin squad, un. They became the first targets for my Exploding Clay, mm. Oh, the beauty of it, yeah!" The fanatical artist cried, that frenzied look seeping into his eyes again. "It was in that moment that I've discovered the art that I've always desired, the Art of Explosion! Mmm! Even now the momory visits me every time I detonate a new artwork, reminding me that my art is ever improving, yeah..."
He trailed away, the excitement slowly fading away as he ranted. Pein's expression was still blank, but now Deidara knew his leader enough to know that he was listening intently.
"I understand," he said finally. "And I appreciate your explanation being in great detail; as this counsel's purpose is for me to know you better, your information has helped me greatly. But if I may add one more: It is reported that your partnership with Sasori is working well, but why do I hear the others saying that your relationship is very strained?"
"We have differences in... ideology, hmm." said Deidara, scratching his head sheepishly. "No matter how much I try to convince him otherwise, Danna holds firmly that art is something that lasts forever, yeah. Must be the puppet thing, gah!" He shook his head in exasperation.
"Yes, I've been told that your views on art is polar opposite," commented Pein. "Yet the two of you aren't always trying to swipe at each other like Hidan and Kakuzu."
"Now why should I, hmm?" Deidara exclaimed, picturing Kakuzu laughing at Hidan's headless body as the swearing Jahsinist's head kept screaming at his partner to stitch him back up. "I don't resent Sasori-danna on anything, un. Those two just loathe each other, mm. I respect Danna's view on art, even if I hate the sight of him spending all day in his room staring at his puppets, hmm. Just because I disagree with him doesn't mean that I hate him, yeah?"
"Of course, you are perfectly right." Pein said as his Rinnegan gleamed. "I wish some of our member would share your wisdom. You may dismiss yourself, but ask Sasori to come in next."
Deidara got up and walked out of the door after bowing down to his leader.
"Danna, you're next, un." He told the redhaired man as they passed each other in the waiting room.
"How was it?" Sasori asked him as he got to his feet.
"Oh, not so bad," said Deidara as he shrugged, glancing at Hidan and Kakuzu with a smirk.
I wonder: how would Deidara react if Pein had told him of Sasori's past? Would he pity his partner, or make fun of him for being a wimp? Being a Deidara fan I hope it's the former, although I doubt he can resist a casual barb or two. R&R.