Chapter Twenty - Art is an Eternal Bang
Aiko perched on the left-hand little finger of the chained hands of the Demonic Statue, eyes closed as she focussed on the fuinjutsu ritual. Slowly, she cracked open at eyelid to the sight of nine chakra-dense dragons that the Akatsuki commanded to their will, slowly draining the Tailed Beast before them of chakra which, in essence, withdrew the Beast itself from the host's slack jaw.
Across the way, perched on the Statue's right index finger was Deidara, his smile widening as he caught her looking his way, prompting her to scrunch her eyes shut. After a while, she opened both eyes to spot him still smirking at her, making her wink and let out a breathy laugh as he pulled his tongue out and went cross-eyed. That earned him a scrunched up paper ball to the face, courtesy of the girl that had pressed a palm to her open mouth, feigning shock as she pointed towards Kisame on her immediate right.
'Yeah right,' Deidara mouthed, retaliating with a tiny amount of chakra-infused clay that exploded at her feet and caused her to yelp.
Both Aiko and Deidara quickly shut their eyes, sure that the small snap would draw the others attention.
"Hey kid," Kisame whispered, prompting Aiko to furrow her eyebrows at his soft interruption with her eyes still closed, "your sandal's on fire."
Aiko yelped, promptly kicking out her foot to launch the sandal across the room, opening her eyes just in time to witness it hit Itachi in the face. The girl's jaw dropped as the Uchiha didn't even twitch, prompting Deidara to slam both hands over his mouth to suppress his spluttering. Eyes narrowed on the clearly not-on-fire sandal on the ground. Aiko's neck snapped to Kisame, who wore a feral grin with his eyes still firmly shut.
Aiko met Deidara's gaze, tilting her head to the left to indicate Kisame before drawing a single finger across her throat. Similarly, Deidara nodded his head twice to the right before copying the motion. Aiko's eyes gleamed, placing her hands back into a hand seal, whilst watching a screwed up paper ball make a beeline for Itachi's face before promptly changing direction to hit Deidara's. Aiko blinked, meeting the eye of her mother who stood between Deidara and Itachi, emitting a murderous look, that which was most likely fuelled by her recent disobedience. Aiko promptly screwed her eyes shut once more, gulping at the thought of her mother's punishment before focusing back on the much less frightening task of extracting a Tailed Beast.
Two days later, a quiet hissing sound could be heard as the Akatsuki members continued to seal the Bijuu before them; a highly tenuous and lengthy process to say the least. Intrigued, Aiko opened her eyes, blinking at the newly spawned White Zetsu below them, grinning up at them all. His counterpart, Black Zetsu was still firmly placed to her immediate left, positioned on the right-hand pinky finger with a stern expression and his eyes closed. Promptly, Deidara threw a wad of clay towards White Zetsu, leaving a scorch mark where the head had once been before re-forming with a taunting grin a meter away.
From her left, a senbon flew past, managing to narrowly miss the plant as his white tongue hung out of its mouth like a dog upon re-forming. Aiko blinked, following its trajectory back to the left-hand thumb that held a neutral looking Hiruko. Next up to take a shot was Kisame, his choice of weapon a kunai as he took aim and launched it towards White Zetsu, who ended up dodging two kunai as Itachi used the opportunity to take a shot.
'Cheater," Aiko mouthed towards him, forming a paper shuriken between her fingertips in a sudden free-for-all on the shrubbery.
White Zetsu popped up and down like a whack-a-mole, dodging a barrage of weaponry from above. It wasn't long before the ground was bursting into black flames, water bullets raining down from the side lines, whilst Deidara opted to use the 'Hiding like a Mole' jutsu to physically emerge from the earth itself to get his hands on the weed from hell. Finally, Kakuzu 'relieved' Hidan of his three pronged-scythe from the left-hand middle finger, twisting his arm to cut away his partner's head. Before he had time to utter a single curse, Hidan's head was launched across the room like a tennis ball served by the scythe's flat blade, promptly bringing an end to their 'little game' as Hidan's forehead head-butted White Zetsu's.
Konan's eyes snapped open, all Akatsuki members proceeding to close theirs at that exact moment. A single grey eye twitched as they insulted her intelligence, since it was rather far-fetched for her to believe that absolutely nothing had happened when the ground was full of scotch marks and weaponry. Never mind the fact that Deidara was still half submerged in the Statue's hand, having not made it back in time, and Hidan's head, with closed eyes and a neutral expression, was still on the ground, several meters away from his body.
"Excellent shot, Kakuzu," Pain muttered with his blank expression, causing all the other Akatsuki member's eyes to fly open and stare openly at their Leader, "but if you don't mind, I'd like to finish up here."
The Akatsuki members nodded in unison, in awe of their Leader before closing their eyes once more, unaware of the Statue's piercing gaze that rested upon them all.
"Tell me again, un," Deidara frowned, eyes focussed on the shogi board that lay on the ground.
"We've been through this, Dei!"
"Just tell me again, un. We can't all bring in a Jinchuriki by bribing them with ice cream and dango."
"I told you that in confidence," Aiko huffed, looking to the side, "but maybe you should try it before blowing him up. You can never underestimate the power of friendship!"
Aiko smirked as she flew a rainbow in the air with two pointed fingers.
"He's the Kazekage, un. He's not going to be fooled by that."
"Kage's can still like ice cream and dango, Dei. Jashin knows I will when I'm one."
Deidara's eye twitched, opening his mouth to ask her which Kage she planned on becoming before closing his mouth and shaking his head. With a sigh, Aiko folded her legs into a cross-legged position, frowning at the game of shogi that sat between them.
"Alright, so it started off with a tidal wave of sand to trap him," Aiko began, moving a piece on the board.
"That sounds familiar," Deidara commented, moving his own piece.
"No idea what you're talking about," Aiko breezed, giving him a pointed look. "Now, do you want to hear this or not?"
Deidara gave her a sharp nod.
"Then this kid, Lee, he's pretty good with taijutsu - like really good."
"I'm sorry, un, did I ask about Gaara's fight or your boyfriend?" Deidara inquired with a dry look at the girl that was planning on murdering him in his sleep.
"And how is your boyfriend lately, Dei?" Aiko shot back, smirking when he returned her promise of death. "So like I was saying, the sand countered everything Lee threw at him - it's automatic, no hand seals and fast. Really fast."
"I've got it. What else, un?"
"Well once you break through the defence, you hit his armour. Condensed sand that acts as a second skin. Which is also pretty useful to hide a clone in."
"I know all about sand clones, un," Deidara muttered with a deep scowl. "So when this Lee guy did the flower-punch… thing, you said the gourd turned to sand?"
"It's called 'the youthful Hidden Lotus'," Aiko said pointedly, "and is that important?"
"'Youthful'?" Deidara parroted, to make Aiko shrug, "but yes, un. It's important. Next?"
"Sand coffin," Aiko murmured, "unless you want to be a blood puddle, don't get caught in the sand coffin."
"And here I was thinking I could finally rival your 'Hiding in a Puddle' jutsu," Deidara smirked, making Aiko throw her head back and laugh.
That was the point that Deidara chose to move a final piece on the shogi board, claiming his victory to make Aiko go bug-eyed. Frowning, she recalled the final moves in the game before crossing her arms across her chest with a huff.
"You need to focus on the entire game, otherwise you might miss something," he smirked, using the palm of his hand to stand up.
"Where are you going?" the girl blinked, watching him head off.
"To test my theory on Danna, un."
"But you're gonna get pumm-"
Aiko cut off at the deathly glare Deidara delivered to her.
"You'll do great!" Aiko chirped with a synthetic smile and a fist pump of encouragement.
"Thanks, you're a real friend, un," Deidara dead-panned, heading out into the base to find Sasori.
Behind him, Aiko did her best to look bored at the entire situation before stretching her head out to the side to check Deidara had really gone. With the coast clear, she scrambled up, almost falling flat on her face before running down the halls of the Akatsuki base. Twisting her neck into the communal room, she came to a halt, sliding past on her heels before turning back to slam two palms on the doorway so that everyone within focussed on her.
"Deidara is going to fight Sasori!" she exclaimed, a little breathless, before taking in the blank expressions in front of her. "Right now."
The members of Akatsuki exchanged looks between one another as the girl turned into a paper flurry, before promptly shushinning themselves to witness the small amount of light entertainment that their organisation provided them with.
XxX
"What took you guys so long!" Aiko whined, legs swinging back and forth on the cliff face the Akatsuki members had chosen as their viewing point.
"For some fucking reason this bitch made us stop to get popcorn!" Hidan yelled, pointing towards Kakuzu who drew the confused expressions of every Akatsuki member present.
"Sweet or salty?" Aiko inquired, similarly looking towards the immortal.
"Sweet-" bright yellow stars appeared in Aiko and Itachi's eyes, allowing Kakuzu to hand over the popcorn in exchange for some ryo "-and salty."
Next to Aiko, Kisame let out a small sigh and held up some paper ryo in his fingertips to exchange for the savoury treat.
"I want some," Hidan demanded, earning himself a kunai through the hand as he attempted to steal some from Itachi.
"Just pay him, Hidan," Itachi murmured, seemingly savouring the sweetness of the delightful snack.
"But I don't have any money."
"Why not?" Aiko frowned.
"Cus I'm a fucking criminal. What do I need money for?" Hidan countered, with a rather blatant 'duh' expression.
Aiko opened her mouth and promptly closed it again before supplying the ryo for Hidan's popcorn. His logic was flawless. Meanwhile, Konan helped herself to her daughter's supply, earning herself a disapproving glare.
"Looks like it's about to begin," Pain announced, Rinnegan eyes fixed on the distance where Deidara and Hiruko were facing each other.
Promptly, Hiruko jumped back, Sasori wielding his Third Kazekage puppet from afar.
"What's the deal? I thought we were here for a fight, not a fucking puppet show," Hidan complained with a hand outstretched to the scene.
"Sasori of the Red Sand is Suna's most accomplished Puppet Master. That puppet he's wielding is the Third Kazekage himself," Itachi informed him.
"And here I thought Aiko was Akatsuki's number one fan," Kisame grinned, enjoying the opportunity to tease his partner.
"Na, I run the Kisame fan club division," Aiko beamed to his delight, before adding, "turns out no one else likes you."
Thereby earning herself an elbow to the ribs. In front of them, a mass of explosions were taking place, plombs of black sand erupting from the ground as Deidara circled the Third Kazekage puppet from his clay bird.
"I'm surprised Sasori resorted to his favourite puppet as a first resort. He must be taking Deidara seriously," Itachi commented, eyes fixed on the distance where the Third Kazekage had just blocked a barrage of explosions with waves of black sand to cause them to explode from a safe distance.
"He kind of had to," Aiko informed them, watching as Sasori countered by sending waves of black sand after the clay bird. "This is Dei's trial run for his fight with Gaara. AHH, COME ON DEI! KICK HIS ASS!"
Deidara complied to the girl's screams, moulding explosive birds to attack the sand and make it crumble to the ground.
"YEAH!" Aiko cheered, shooting up onto her feet to throw her hands into the air.
"Come on," Kisame groaned, eyes fixed on the battle. "We know how this ends. Even with just sand ninjutsu, Sasori's got this."
"Nut-uh!" Aiko huffed, jabbing the shark in the side with her elbow. "Dei has a plan."
"Care to make a bet?"
"Usual terms?"
In response, the shark nodded, flashing his sharpened teeth at the girl as they returned their attention back to where the black sand was creeping along Deidara's limbs, using their grasp to throw his body around and smack him to the ground like a rag doll.
Aiko winced.
Deidara threw a clay bird to break the sand's hold, lifting himself back up onto a clay dragon, which dropped a plethora of bombs on the ground. Even at this distance the Akatsuki could hear his gleeful laughter that was followed up by a prompt 'KATSU!'. The space filled with multiple explosions, Aiko lifting up an arm to shield her eyes from the dust, sighing when a black cocoon of sand came into view.
"My win," Kisame grinned, before an explosion erupted from the cocoon, the sand dropping to the ground, along with the detached body parts of a puppet that now lay in pieces.
Aiko's mouth dropped.
"Deidara wins," Pain announced.
"Well?" Konan prompted, nudging her daughter with her foot.
"He won," Aiko gaped, eyes still fixed on the mound of black sand and puppet pieces, completely oblivious to the clay bird flying over in their direction.
Deidara jumped from the birds back, promptly tackling Aiko to the ground.
"You won!" she parroted in disbelief.
"I know," Deidara grinned, promptly wrapping her daze-stricken head into his arms and rubbing a closed fist into the top of her head. "Not that you doubted me, right?"
"Err, no. Course not," Aiko blushed, brushing back her lavender locks in an attempt to rectify her hair. "You were - that was - wow."
In response, Deidara just laughed, blinking when Kisame muttered something to prompt Aiko to kick him in the shins.
"Don't think I've forgotten our bet," she hissed back.
"What bet?"
Aiko's eyes glistened like sapphires, a malicious grin creeping up her cheeks as Kisame growled.
"Deidara, in celebration of your victory, I present to you for one night, and one night only; Hoshigaki Kisame in an exclusive performance of…
Two. Little. Frogs."
A/N: As promised! Something a little more light-hearted and humorous after last week... aka, what I think Akatsuki does during what is supposed to be a three day ritual - surely they must get bored, right? XD - I mean, what do you think they do?
Also shout out to Arclight001 for reviewing - so dedicated, thank you!
To Marczeg Szar - thanks for review! I'm so glad it came across like that, its exactly what I wanted. I think Fuu and Aiko's relationship is very complex - Fuu's friendship is genuine on account of her loneliness as a Host, whereas I feel like Aiko would have serious detachment on account of her belief in her oji-san's goals, with a hint of the doubt she had when faced with Uzumaki Naruto. Her character is complex - she wants peace, but her dedication to Akatsuki blinds her to the fact killing Fuu was a bad thing to do. That's my thoughts, but its so interesting to see how others interpret my characters :D