Note:
I'm back! Sorry for making you wait and thank you so much for those who keep reading this endless fanfcition.
For you who have been so patient, here is a new chapter. Enjoy!
The city of Fouzan was thrown into chaos after an actual bomb put the national flag on fire. Hidden in the shadow of a roof, Fu watched the bewildered crowd disperse in the alleys as Iwa shinobi were gathering around the teashop to look for the culprit. What had just happened was enough of a motive to start a war. A war that would oppose the Land of Earth against the Land of Silk. And Ari was coming from the very family that was leading the revolution. Fuu gulped – she was at a loss about what to do next. The only thing she could feel at the moment was the urge to see Kaoru and Takeshi, the only thought that they might be executed for treason or uproar sent a shiver down her spine. She was about to come out of her spot when she felt Ari's arms wrapped around her neck, so she stepped back and took a deep breath. She was responsible for him; she would put him in danger if she turned herself in. No more rash decisions , she bitterly thought as she sneaked to the other side of the roof. Before jumping down, Fuu glqnced at the boy on her side who replied to her concerned look with a small smirk before it turned back to the same calm expression he had hold during the whole time. Fuu felt a little ashamed. There were times when one could have said that Ari was the older one.
"Wait there a second, unh."
Black cloak and red clouds. The man that had landed at next to them was wearing the exact same cloak she now knew too well. Without a second thought, Fuu pulled out a needle from her pouch, but the young man immediately pulled up a hand covered by the long sleeve, then pointed to Ari with a wicked smirk.
"Don't know what a kunoichi is doing with a Kosa, but I think we've got common interests you and I, unh."
Sen is a traitor… Fuu gulped to suppress the nauseating sensation that was coming down her stomach. She would have never thought that Sen, from all the people, was the one who sold out his own friends and family. But their 'kidnaper' could be as well lying, and in that case, she and Ari were in a much bigger trouble. There was no way to escape from that giant clay bird, and even if she found a way to freed herself, jumping from that high would only lead to their deaths – Chomei's chakra wouldn't be enough to amortize the fall in her current state. The only option was waiting for the bird to land and engage the man in a fight. Although he seemed to be incredibly skilled, it was nothing compared to the power sealed inside her.
"You're very silent, hm… Haven't digested the news yet?" The corner of her mouth twitched in anger, but she decided against replying. Ari's face darkened even more at the mention and promised nothing good. There were moments she couldn't recognize him nor guess what he was thinking, and with what happened earlier, his mood had completely transformed. She had to distract him.
"Uh, I'm feeling sick... I think I haven't digested that tea milk from before..."
The blond man immediately snapped to side and shot her a murderous look: "Don't dare throw up on this beautiful piece of art! Just do bend a little from the side, unh! You've got all the free space you want." Fuu inwardly laughed at his reaction, and she wasn't done yet. The growing satisfaction for seeing him so upset made her even more eager to continue.
"Want me to fall down, don't you? Didn't you say you needed me to collect info? Let's come back to the source of the problem, I wouldn't feel sick if you drove your bird better."
"WHAT THE-?! I swear I'll blow you as soon as everything is done!"
"Pff, you blow me? You don't even know who-"
"STOP IT NOOOWW!" Ari screamed; hands clenched tightly as his whole body was shaking in anger. "Stop it, my head hurts." The other two fell completely silent, and the man turned back to look the landscape. Fuu felt the heat going up her cheeks. Her attitude had been childish and irresponsible. Not that the other one was better than her, but both of them were still secretly feeling ashamed.
"You were paid to kill him, right?" Ari said in a calm stance, "it has already happened – I heard adults talking about that –, they said it was the Land of Earth who wanted him dead because he was helping us… But you're not working for them, aren't you?"
Fuu looked at Ari in disbelieve, how did he know all this?
Deidara snorted in response, the kid wasn't stupid. "Well, you've got it half-right. Actually, the old rag you're going to meet rules over Iwagakure, but it's not that simple, unh. Adults' world is far more complicated, so just follow your Onee-chan and everything will be good – you get revenge, I get the money. End of the story."
"How can we know that what you're saying is true and that you're letting us free after the mission is completed?" Fuu intervened. He wanted them to meet with the Tsuchikage, then. If it was true, then it was the golden opportunity she was looking for to free Kaoru and the others, but deceit was something shinobi excelled in, and she was slowly learning that it was a common trait of human nature.
But the man remained silent, his black cloak floating in the air as the bird slowly its pace. "You'll see it by yourself, hm. I can't show up there, but the two of you are just perfect for this kind of mission. If you do as I say, then no one will be able to do anything against you, I promise." The tone of his voice changed, and it had been enough to settle her mind. What else could she do? At that moment she became aware of the wind stroking against her cheeks and the nostalgic sensation of chased away any other thought.
The trio contemplated the scenery in silence until a cluster of towers sculpted in the same rock were taking form, with an imposing tower in the middle harboring the kanji of Earth. The bird gradually descended into a canyon and the trio was in the shadow in no time.
Their feet were released from the clay that was sticking them to the bird and the man invited them to jump down. When they were close enough, the man pulled out a piece of paper he handed to Fuu and said:
"You say you got lost and you're seeking refuge. Before you reach the entrance of the village, roll on the floor a couple of times so that you look more credible. They won't bring you straight away to the Tsuchikage, but seeing the tension that hover over the Land of Earth and the Land of Silk, he would want to deal with you first hand. Give him this piece of paper only when you'll be alone with him. He'll understand. Then follow his instruction, and mention to him you have to leave by tomorrow at sunset. This is our meeting spot. Do not move until I come, is that understood?"
"Yes, sir" Fuu replied. The words escaped her mouth automatically as the atmosphere strangely looked like when she used to take missions in Takigakure.
Pleased with the response, Deidara hummed and jumped back on the giant clay bird. Fuu stared at the unpaved road. Iwagakure was there, and with it the possibility to enact her plan to freed Kaoru and Takeshi.
"One last thing, if you're thinking as much as escaping, then you're getting it wrong, unh. A shinobi that crossed the borders without permission is an enemy, so I bet no one will say anything if I blow you up."
Fuu grimaced in anger while she quickened her pace to put as much distance between them as possible; If things went the way she was thinking about, then this would be the last time they would have seen each other.
As the two figures disappeared behind the curve, Deidara let his grin fade away and jumped back on the volatile. If these two could make it in time, then he would have good arguments in their favor when he would propose the Leader to let them join the organization. And it was not like they could refuse. They had nowhere to go back to.
To say that Iwagakure was impressive was an understatement. The rocks and peaks that were making the landscape were transformed into houses and rocky towers, connected one another with a network of bridges that made the city look as if it was hanging on the air. The golden facades were enhanced by the blue afternoon sky, and made the village look even more beautiful to the eyes of the viewer. Fuu looked in amazement around her. She wished it had the same effect on Ari. His face darkened as soon as the gates appeared in front of them.
"I… apologize on my colleague's behalf…" Fuu gasped in surprise. The man that was escorting them lowered his pace to walk at their level. "Things are getting tense lately and we don't know where the threat comes from… You see what I mean…"
Fuu hummed and went back in contemplating the surroundings. She knew the gatekeeper was doing his best to protect his village, it was very much understandable knowing that they were coming from the very people that had started a ' revolution ' against the Land of Earth, but it still hurt, and although the man had genuine intentions, his attempts at putting them at ease were only producing the opposite effect.
After an endless number of stairs and bridges, they finally reached the side entrance of the big tower and the shinobi before them brought them in a tight and dark corridor, then stopped in front a small wooden door, and as he took the keys out of his pouch he said: "You can rest here for some a couple of hours. I will bring you some food, so you tell me what you want to eat and I'll buy it, okay?" The sunlight revealed a bare room with a bed pushed against the wall and a small night table next to it. "It won't take long I promise."
"Oh, it's fine. Thank you so much!" she replied with a bit too much of enthusiasm. The man frown briefly, then left without saying a word. Fuu waiting until the sound of his steps faltered and let herself fall on the floor, swinging her legs in the process so that they were resting on the wall.
"HEAVEN! I thought I wouldn't have been able to use my legs anymore! What had people in mind when they build the village?"
"Dunno..." Ari sat on the edge of the bed, looking even more at unease. Of course, who would be happy to be in a situation like this? It's already hard for adults, let alone a kid. Fuu pushed aside the lingering laziness that was urging her to let her not-used-to-walk feet and sat next to him. She wasn't planning to wait for them to call them out. "Hey listen, I've got a plan... But we have to wait for the guy to come back with food, I can't do it without a proper meal..."
Twenty minutes later, stomachs fully satiated, Fuu pulled out a ….
"Where did you learn that?" Ari asked as he curiously watched over her shoulder.
"Well, you know... When you've got nothing to do and you can't go in all the places you want, picking locks is just the perfect hobby. Done!" Fuu glanced at the dark corridor through the crack. Except the shinobi who brought them there, she didn't hear any other footsteps during all their stay. They still had some time left before they came to hatch them, so she would take a look at the surroundings. Perhaps she could find something that could be useful to her, or a passage where they could escape if things went wrong. Ari wasn't trained to these kinds of things, but they could always rely on Chomei for a solution. We count on you Chomei! Before stepping out, a light chakra stream flicked on her forehead; it was Chomei's own way to remind her not to do anything too bold.
The rest of the corridor was filled with doors similar to the room they were in. From one side and the other were the large steps that were heading down. After pacing the corridor back and forth a couple of time, Fuu decided to try and open one of the doors, when a cloud cringing sound came from one of the stairs and a rotten metal door opened.
"Sis, sis, look! A dwarf!"
Fuu felt her blood icing. Not even Chomei had been able to sense him coming. He didn't look like a shinobi, and that was a good thing. She would just knock him out and sit him on the stairs, so that when he woke up he would him he had just fallen asleep.
"Hey, little boy, we may have the same height, but I've got forty times your age." The old man walked towards them calmly, his long moustache waving at each step he took, which gave him a sympathetic look and made it difficult for Fuu to enact her plan.
"I was getting bored, so it's a good thing I find you here. Want to have some tea? I know a secret passage to the roof, the landscape is splendid there."