College. I started and it's going pretty well.

Dei: Not that much to do yet though un.

True…but it's only the first week…

Saso: True. Disclaimer?

Yes please.

Saso: Kari doesn't own Naruto or anything else previously owned.

Thanks. ON WITH THE CHAP!

Chapter 9: The Ministers

Deidara and Sasori continued down the tunnel behind Reficul. The redheaded man led them to the end where a ladder awaited. After climbing up, they found themselves in a forest clearing. "What gives?" asked Sasori, "Where's Otiar's home?" Deidara nudged at his Danna and pointed to the right. Sasori saw a small cottage. "Wow. Really IS Raito's opposite…..I mean, Raito lived in a huge mansion in the city." He stated. Deidara nodded. "Raito liked the attention, the people un. He liked being in the spotlight." "Hurry!" said Reficul as he headed for the cottage.

Deidara and Sasori started after him. A man with short raven hair and grayish eyes. He wore simple clothes, like ones you would see in a movie of the middle ages that peasants wore.

Otiar.

"Reficul? What brings you here?" he asked. His voice was kind, just a casual question. He looked beyond Reficul at Deidara and his eyes widened. "The Hikari no Ko…" he said, barely a whisper. "So they call me." Said Deidara, his voice guarded. Sasori looked at his blonde, understanding why his mood suddenly shifted.

After all, Raito had been the man he had despised, the man he had killed. The man that had killed him as a child. It was only natural that Deidara would feel those things once more at seeing Otiar's face. Deidara looked at Otiar with a conflicted look. He didn't trust the man, not one bit. Unfortunately, he had to see if what Reficul told them was true. Would Aradied really not come here?

~Deidara's POV~

I'm really not comfortable with this. Reficul was one thing, but Otiar has the face of Raito. I hate looking at that face. It makes my blood boil. Not many things can do that. Hidan could, when he pisses me off. Aradied was making it a habit. But besides that, I'm a pretty calm person. Raito….no….I really don't like this. Even if he's supposed to be his complete opposite, I don't trust him. What if that only worked for NICE people? What if the evil people remained evil in this universe?

"Come in, come in. Before Aradied gets wind of you. Don't fret though. Aradied hasn't set foot near this place in over five years." Explains Otiar. I hesitantly step inside the cottage.

It was nice, homey even. Something out of the middle ages, or a story book. There was a small fireplace in a room with a few seats in it. A small kitchen can be seen and I can smell food. While everyone went to sit in the living room, I stay by the door. Sasori turn to me. "What's wrong Dei?" I just look around, "I'm just not….comfortable with this. I don't trust Otiar. I hardly trust Reficul after what happened with Nadih un. This is unknown territory and I don't like not knowing where I am." Sasori nods in understanding as I continued, "I mean, it's one thing making an escape route or a battle strategy when you know the area, and another thing entirely when you have no idea about the terrain. Or the people un…" Sasori pulls I close, "Just keep your guard up Dei-chan. It's all we can do at the moment. I know you must be frustrated, you always like to think ahead. But just take it one step at a time for a while." I nod at danna and we go to the living room.

"So, Hikari no Ko….what do you know about the situation thus far?" asks Otiar. Not wanting to look at the man, I start playing with my hair, "I know that Aradied is a tyrant un. He has control over this universe and he failed at trying to control mine. I think the reason he brought us here is to know that he has people on his side. And to separate me from Lucifer un. I think he planned on separating me from Danna too, but it didn't work out that way un." I stop with my hair and look up at the ceiling, "I also know that he was made according to the song Prince of Evil…that's about it."

Otiar nods, "You know a lot considering you haven't been here that long." No duh. After all, I like to think ahead. I sigh. "I'm not comfortable with this." I mutter, still staring at the ceiling. I can see Otiar raise a brow in question. "What do you mean Deidara?" he asks. Do I have to spell it out for him? I mean come on; he said he knew about what happened between me and Raito. "Your face." I mutter, "Just looking at you…it makes me uncomfortable un. You have the same face as Raito and you know how I feel about him."

Otiar nods. "Yes. I do. I understand. Raito was a horrible man, making you as the second Alice…what happened to your mother…trying to kill you. I love Aradied dearly and it pains me to think I'm going to have to take him down. And you…how I wish Aradied was more like you Deidara." …should I look at him? I hesitantly look into those familiar gray eyes. So many memories come from just looking at the orbs. It doesn't even matter that his hair isn't the same color. "Do you?" I ask. It sounds like something Raito would never have said. For him, when I was still under his influence, I was his prodigy. I was what he had worked so hard on. Even when I had become loyal to Lucifer, he still tried his hardest to get me back to the way I was before. He worked for it till the end, even trying to destroy me when I had defeated him. As if he thought, if he couldn't use my power, why should Lucifer get to?

Otiar nods, "I've spoken with Lucifer. He tells me about you, about the decisions you've made. Even when you had not emotions, your decisions were pretty much your own, and you chose wisely. I'm surprised actually. You were made to be one that went into insanity. One that would utterly destroy himself. As the song says, you attract the distorted and deranged of man. And you were shot and killed by a mad man." "And it was believed that meant that the second Alice went mad and shot himself un." I reply. I know the thoughts of the world on the Son of Blue Diamond. "Correct. You amaze me, Katsu Deidara." I shrug. I've been told that so many times in my life. Even Raito had spoken to me with those words. You amaze me my son. I tend to not dwell on those words so much.

"Enough about me and how I amaze you. I want to know what we're going to do about Aradied un." I say. Not trying to sound rude or anything, but I hate it when people talk about me like I'm some kind of god. I'm not. I'm just the Arms Dealer. That's as special as I get. Otiar blinks, apparently taken aback by my response. I'm guessing Aradied likes being told he's special. He's so self-centered. It irritates me. "Of course Hikari no Ko." States Reficul. Ugh. That is NOT one of the titles I'm accustomed to. Arms Dealer, Azure Warlock, Lucifer's Right Hand. Even the Explosive Artist. Those I've heard many times before. But Hikari no Ko? Since when am I a son of Light? I work for LUCIFER! The devil himself. Zeus hates me so much it's not even funny! Though it is funny when Lucifer sends me to take care of an Angel and they are all "OH SHIT! IT'S THE ARMS DEALER!" and start trying to escape. Sasori sighs, bringing me back to reality. "What's wrong Danna?" I ask. He sighs and gets to his feet. "I can see that this whole Hikari no Ko thing is getting on your nerves. Listen you two; either call him Deidara or Arms Dealer. We're used to that." I laugh. Only Sasori would be able to sense that.

Reficul blinks in confusion. "I don't like having so many titles un. Most people call me the Arms Dealer. People close to me call me Deidara or various nick-names they have for me." I explain. Otiar nods, "All right Deidara. I will stop with the use of Hikari no Ko. What about you Reficul?" Reficul nods as well. "Now that that's out of the way," says Sasori, "as Dei said, what are we gonna do about Aradied?"

"Otiar, What is this?"

I turn and see the face of a woman I haven't seen since I was five.

My mother.

~normal POV~

Deidara sighed as he lay on his back on the floor. "Let's see….Xela?" he asked. The woman nodded. She had long, red hair and sapphire orbs that matched Deidara's. Now Sasori could see where Deidara had gotten those eyes from. "Yes. You look like Aradied…but you aren't my son. Tell me boy, who are you?" her voice was cold, harsh. It reminded Sasori of the way Raito used to talk. So demanding.

"I see no reason to tell you un." Replied Deidara, a bored look on his face. Xela frowned and walked over to him. "Tell me. Now." "I can see where Aradied got his stubbornness from." Stated Deidara. Xela scowled and went to kick Deidara, but the boy grabbed her foot. "I am not Aradied, and I'm not a push over un. Now, stop trying to act like a bitch and step away. Or I WILL hurt you." Sasori sighed at Deidara's tone before he said, "Yes. Please stop Xela. Deidara doesn't like it when people order him around. Not even Lucifer can do that." Xela's eyes widened. "Deidara…" "Yeah, yeah. No need to go through the shock." Deidara says. "And get out of the room un. I don't need you here."

Xela yanked her foot out of Deidara's grasp. "The Hikari no Ko…the one designed from Alice human Sacrifice. How fitting. You are an ignorant boy." "Ignorant I'm not Xela. I know more than you will learn in your entire life un. I merely dislike it when someone I cannot trust tries to hit me. And I know how you must how Aradied is. After all, you are the one who designed him un." "And unlike you, he has been a great success. Unlike you he didn't go against the song." "True. But that means that he will be put in the same position as the song. Don't act all high and mighty Xela. You dress like a noblewoman. You like spending Aradied's money. Don't think it'll last un. If I had not been able to go against the song, I would be dead now un."

Xela glared at Deidara, obviously not liking what he was saying. "Just you watch boy," she said, "you will be the one to lose this game, not me." She left the room in an awkward silence…

Otiar was the first one to break the silence, "Um…please excuse Xela. She's a little-" "Self-centered?" said Sasori. Otiar smiled nervously. "Well…" all turned to Deidara, "at least she made one thing clear by walking in un." "What would that be?" asked Reficul. "I can trust Otiar." "Why do you think so now Dei?" Sasori asked in curiosity. What had changed the blonde's mind? "He didn't kill her." Sasori and Reficul got a confused look on their faces. Deidara chuckled, "Raito killed my mother un. If Otiar was anything like him, he would've done the same to Xela. But he didn't…even though she's a bitch…it makes me wonder how much of a pushover he is actually." Otiar sweat dropped at the last statement, but smiled at Deidara, "I guess I can be a pushover at times. Unlike Raito I suppose?" Deidara smirked, "No, he wasn't but he was a coward un. When things looked tough, he used to flee. Until he had enough which led to his death un." Otiar nodded.

"Now, about Aradied." He said as he stood and walked to where Deidara sat, "there is a resistance, and most of them have strong connections in Aradied's castle. I'm guessing that you want to make things go as the song predicts?" Deidara nodded, a smirk forming on his lips, "But not just Prince of Evil." He said, "There's another song that would really break Aradied without killing him un." Reficul got a frustrated look on his face, "What song could possibly go with Prince of Evil and end with the Prince surviving?"

Deidara's smirk widened, "A song my little brother sings to his twin constantly. Servant of Evil." Otiar gasped in realization, "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Reficul rolled his eyes at them, "That's nice, but there's one problem. Aradied doesn't have a twin." Deidara chuckled, "True, but he does have a little servant un. One that he loves dearly un." Sasori laughed, "Irosas!" he said, coming to Deidara's conclusion. Deidara nodded, "He's willing to do anything for Aradied un. Thus, he's the perfect candidate for the job of making Aradied feel regret un. The perfect tool to make Aradied realize his wrong doing." Reficul, with a frown on his face, said, "Why do you want Aradied to live? He's a menace." Deidara looked at the redhead and frowned, "I don't kill unless there is no other option. As a warlock, you tend to value life more un. It's the life energy of the warlock and those around them that gives them the ability to use his magic." He explained, "Not that we don't grow out of it and make do with our own life, but we always tend to value the life of others un."

Reficul remains silent, as if not agreeing with Deidara's point of view. Sasori noticed the unsure look in the other redhead's eyes, and narrowed his eyes at him. Like Deidara, he didn't trust Reficul. Hidan's alternate had given them away. What would Lucifer's alternate do? It wasn't anything good as far as Sasori could think of.

There was a knock on the door.

Sasori could sense a dark aura coming from the other side. It wasn't Aradied. But….it was something familiar. He had felt it before.

Otiar glanced at both Sasori and Deidara before walking to the door. He opened it a bit and Deidara saw a flash of light purple hair. "Ah…Rabenda and Gin….what brings you here? Aradied want something?" "You know why we're here old man. Aradied knows you have the Hikari no Ko here, but you know he hates this place. So he sent us to pick them up." Sasori's eyes widened. He recognized the voice.

"Calm down Gin. You're always so hotheaded." Came another voice. One that Sasori knew as well. These couldn't be…. "Move aside Otiar. Aradied might not wanna set foot in this pathetic excuse for a home, but we don't mind." Someone shoved Aradied out of the way and two men walked in. Sasori could feel his blood boiling. It could be. No…it WAS. The men who had come into his house and murdered his parents.

"Why hello there Hikari no Ko." Said the one with the light purple hair. "Hello random baka un." Sasori smirked at his blonde's response. Leave it to Deidara to insult the enemy. "Heh. A tough guy huh? Looky Rabenda, he likes to play." Said the one with the gray hair, Gin. Deidara just stared at the two flatly, not really caring about their existence. Gin's smirk faded as he realized that Deidara was ignoring him. "Listen you little punk, don't ignore me!" he said as he grabbed the blonde by the collar. A needle sank into his hand and he let go.

Both men turned to Sasori. "Don't you dare touch Dei." He said with a venomous glare. After a few seconds, Gin laughed. "Looky Rabenda! It's the brat from all those years ago! The little tough vampire!" Rabenda looked from Sasori, to Gin. "Gin, let me see your hand." Gin looked at Rabenda with a puzzled look before he walked over to the other man. After studying the wound, Rabenda ground his teeth. "I've never seen this type of poison before." He growled as he glared at Sasori.

"You seem to have a grudge towards these two Danna." Said Deidara. "Yeah. I do. They're the ones that murdered my parents." "So, you want them dead un?" "Yes." "Guess I understand. You want to take them on yourself un?" "If it's all right with you." "As you wish Danna. I won't get in the way of your vengeance un." Sasori nodded as he pulled out the dagger that Deidara had made for him…

(A/n) Finally done! Wow this chappie was long! XD.

Dei: Longest you've ever written un!

Saso: You must be proud of yourself.

Indeed I am! R&R! Flames to be used on Rabenda and Gin!