So the plan was to write three chapters today... That won't happen, but I will now start number two and see where I get! This does mean that either tomorrow or Sunday another chapter will come out 0.o I will do three chapters this weekend!
Also back to Deidara ;) Enjoy!
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'Pull your hood up.'
Startled by the sudden spoken words Deidara's eyes shot towards the man he now had to call Tobi. He felt uncomfortable, slightly frightened and most of all nervous. Still he pulled his hood higher up, covering more of his face now, because they were out in the open. They had waited a full day before they actually moved out of the little cabin at the edge of the city and were now on their way to a side part of town, still mostly in the outskirts. Meeting a friend Tobi had said. Deidara had no idea what it meant and was on edge by it. He still did not trust the guy at all, but at this point had no choice but to follow him.
Yesterday had been a hot day, sun bright and sky clear of any clouds. Today was very different though. During the night the clouds had rolled in from the west and brought water with them, sucked out of the seas the water benders loved. It had been raining steadily since the morning and that meant the streets were pretty void of people. Fire benders hated this type of weather, for obvious reasons, and the normal people disliked being out in this weather, because getting wet was not something they enjoyed. It made Deidara love this type of weather even more. With a whisk of the hand he would've gathered enough water to flood the city and take everything down with him. A strange fantasy to have now perhaps, but it felt amazing to have this kind of power at the tip of your fingers.
Even if Tobi hadn't said a thing and still treated Deidara like he knew nothing and was pretty much a child, Deidara was certain the amount of strength he possessed scared the masked man slightly. Deidara didn't know how strong Tobi was, but instantly assumed he was stronger. He had not yet met a bender that could reach his level of strength on their own. With a few benders together, yes. There would be more like him out there though. Even if Deidara was proud of his bending skills he was not a fool. Somewhere out there an earth bender existed that could strike him down easily and it would seem as if Deidara was the weakest bender out there. It was smart on his part to not anger an earth bender for that exact reason.
The muddy streets were now drenched with water. With each step they took their cloaks slid over the ground, getting drenched in the puddles of dirt. Stains soon reached up to the back of their knees and it felt sticky against Deidara's legs. Cloaks really weren't great in this kind of weather. Though normally Deidara would use his bending skill to simply keep the water from even reaching his ankles, but he could not risk that right now, could he? Even if there weren't many people out, the handful that were would catch on instantly. Seeing someone they didn't know was odd enough. They were highly suspicious in this city.
'We're here,' Tobi suddenly spoke in his low timbre, turning towards a small café that looked like it mostly occupied the scum of this earth. Deidara figured Tobi belonged between the scum anyway, so not too strange he would want to go here. Before they even thought of planning a mission, they needed info on what was happening inside the castle.
A little bell jingled when they stepped in and it reminded Deidara of the day he first saw the masked man. Where would he have been now if he hadn't set foot inside that place? Still walking towards the capital of the fire country or captured by other fire benders? Tortured for information he did or didn't have. He often wondered if he would say something about knowing Itachi if he ever did get captured. He could say no now, but being in the situation could turn out much different. He wouldn't want to sell out the fire bender, but would they really leave him a choice?
For this type of weather the small café was actually quite busy. Tables filled with bulky looking guys, chatting to each other as they drank a pint of beer, laughing at dumb jokes. Before they even reached the back table, Deidara had heard ten insults towards water benders he rather had not heard. The bouldering laugh of one obvious fire bender made Deidara cringe as he walked. The scars adorning his skin showed he had fought in a lot of matches with other fire benders and had probably won. If the others had come out alive was something Deidara wasn't certain of.
Turning his head slightly Deidara tried to see who this man really was, lifting his hood up only a little to see well. Of course the man noticed him and stepped away from the bar to show how large he really was, towering over Deidara. The bulky man was about to say something, but Tobi lifted a hand and placed it on Deidara's shoulder, steering him towards the booth they were aiming for and the tension seemed to be lift off his shoulders. Deidara heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that could've ended badly if the man had noticed the colour of his eyes. Perhaps he saw a glimpse now, the glimmer of his striking blue, but he would think he had imagined and move on. Hopefully.
Tobi sat down first, taking down the hood of his cloak and then folding his hands together. The mask was still firmly placed on his face. Deidara slid in after Tobi, facing the wall and going pretty unnoticed by the people in the café, except for mister muscle. Deidara did keep his hood on, as instructed before they even left the cabin. He was not to take his hood off unless told to. For his own safety of course. Even none benders with blue eyes were not allowed to be in the fire country. As a precaution or something. So this was not an order Deidara would throw in the wind and go his own way. He understood and wanted to stay safe. At least until he knew what Itachi was up to and what Deidara could do about it.
Chatting with the waitress Tobi engaged himself in a friendly conversation, making sure they would not get any unwanted attention because of Deidara, who also didn't speak and still kept his head low. He ordered them some drinks and the waitress was on her way again, happy skip in her step as she moved behind the bar. Everyone must know Tobi and his mask, because no one paid it any mind. He was family of the emperor of course, so that must help with what people think of him. Even if he was practically shunned by his own family.
As the waitress brought them their drinks, something of a colour Deidara would usually not drink, someone else joined them at their table as well. The man was soaking wet, obviously having travelled a while before he got here. Hair was dripping water all over the table surface, leaving a little puddle right in front of him, but the guy didn't seem to care at all.
His dark skin was something Deidara hadn't seen before, but he knew a few of them lived among them. Tobi raised a glass at the newcomer and saw that as a fitting greeting. The other just glanced at the masked man, fidgeting lightly with his hands. Was he uncomfortable? Anxious? Did he know about Deidara and what he was? His green eyes had not glanced Deidara's way once.
'Good of you to come, Zetsu. I take that you have some interesting information for me?' Tobi's tone was friendly and they almost seemed like old friends, though Deidara missed the small talk that usually contained. Now questions about where one had been or bringing up old memories.
The green eyes slid through the crowd for a moment, seizing everyone up and making sure no one was listening in. Then slowly he turned back to Tobi, once more ignoring Deidara's presence completely. 'Itachi spilled to his father,' the guy, apparently named Zetsu, spoke in a raspy voice, hands folded together in front of him. His thumbs were still rubbing over the back of his hands, still seeming a little anxious to be here. 'But his father already knew or at least assumed what was going on, because he had captured an earth bender that tried to cross the border. Apparently they knew each other. Now they are both locked up in the dungeons under the castle awaiting their trial. The emperor has been talking to his advisors a lot, but I could not get into these meetings. What they talk about, I don't know, but he has something up his sleeve. He is going to use this in some way and come out victorious, I'm sure of it.'
Deidara's heart was beating fast at this point. The information on Itachi first and then speaking of an earth bender. Deidara only knew one and he instantly thought of Sasori, how ridiculous that idea might be. He would not come here and save Itachi. But then the little bit of information came about them both being locked up, hidden away from the public and probably unable to be reached at all. And a trial could not mean something good. What could their punishment be? An earth bender could definitely mean death. That couldn't happen. They had to stop this!
Shifting a little in his seat Tobi seemed to contemplate Zetsu's words. He was a smart man and Deidara knew a plan was being formed already. That was why they were here. To try and find a way to… do something. What this something was Deidara wasn't sure of, but he wanted to be close to Itachi. Especially with the news he had just received. 'Do you know what Itachi exactly has said to his father?' Tobi asked lowly, red eye flashing through the hole for a moment before going back into hiding.
'Everything you assumed Itachi had been up to. I don't know what the earth bender had to do with it though, since you thought Itachi had learned water bending. Maybe he made a pit stop?' Their conversation was off then, bringing up musings and plans that Deidara didn't all get. Was he really too young then?
'No, I don't believe that is true. Too late to figure out whom he is now though. We need to move quickly, before the trial even starts. Can we sneak into the castle tonight?'
Leaning back in his seat Zetsu stared at his hands, fumbling with them even more than before. An odd tick the guy had and it didn't seem he did it out of nerves anymore. 'Two in front of the gates, but the backdoor is always clear of soldiers. Then the main hall as one at every corner, having sight on every hallway. Lastly one at the dungeons. There they really lack strength, so it should be easy getting in. They trust Itachi won't try to break out. Same goes for the earth bender. If you take out the right guards you should easily be able to enter and pass through unseen. Getting out might be trickier though.'
'I'm aware,' Tobi murmured, head hanging a little low. 'But if we get Itachi to work along, we might be able to use the hiding spots he knows of. He grew up there and must know every part of that building.' That seemed very logical and Deidara actually saw himself nodding along. They would go looking for Itachi and the others outside of the castle, because they assumed he would be on his way out of the country, but in reality they would be hiding inside the castle, ready to strike the emperor where it hurt most. Though Deidara wasn't sure if he wanted to be part of that plan. It wasn't his war. He just wanted Itachi to be safe.
'That could work,' Zetsu nodded. 'And there we could also find out who this earth bender is. He could be of use and help us.' If this was Sasori after all, then Deidara agreed with this bit. They could all escape together and then disappear. Maybe they could be together after that and just… be happy. It was all Deidara wanted at this point. All the drama and pain they had been through, he had been through. He felt so… alone in all this.
Waving that idea way Tobi instantly dismissed it. 'We don't need him for this. We free Itachi and then take over the country, throwing the emperor of his throne. After we managed that we'll see what we'll do with him.' Deidara wanted to stand up and shout at Tobi that he was out of his mind and that he could not treat people like that, but he couldn't blow his cover, couldn't throw a fit here. It would only get him killed. So he stuck to balling his fists and try to steady his raising heart.
The other guy simply nodded, not going against any of Tobi's plans. He was the boss here anyway, so what was the point. Having a thought of his own was already pretty extraordinary. But then his green eyes finally switched to Deidara, his gaze dark and piercing. 'They also mentioned your name. They are looking for you, so don't show your face. The earth bender called out for you too and Itachi seemed just as shocked when hearing about you. They know you're here.'
Characters © Masashi Kishimoto
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