The weather, repulsive as it was yesterday, does not improve the already solemn mood between the two Akatsuki members and their allied teammate.
"We're flying to the other side of Cascades today, hm," Deidara says stoutly, "Once we get through these mountains we go straight for that three-tail."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Rin chides, "There's a massive storm up ahead. We'll get knocked off!"
"We've already wasted a lot of time. If you're so insistent on not flying, you can walk across on your own. It'll take another day so the choice is yours," he says angrily.
"So you're going to risk getting blown off course and crash?"
He stares incredulously.
"It's a risk but we'll get to the other side quicker. Besides, we've got you as a medical ninja if anything were to happen."
Her face twitches in revulsion at the comment.
"Do I look like a hospital?" she snaps.
"We're not wasting anymore time, our leader sent you here to aid us so in essence you don't get much of say in this."
"Fine," she answers harshly, "Do what you want."
x
They hear the skies and the way it rumbles against the dreariness of a dampen atmosphere. But it is the rain and the flashes of lightning that shelters dangerously amongst illusive white clouds.
They fly into its approaching storm - a fearless approach that is guided by a stubborn Deidara who refuses to process the rationality of Rin's argument.
"See! It's not that bad," Deidara says triumphantly.
"Yeah, and you're also an arrogant blockhead when it comes to meteorology," Rin snaps.
He ignores her.
"Hey! Don't go charging into the storm like that!" Rin cries.
Her tone has so much emphasis, it almost sounds like an accusation. He is really starting to resent this new attitude she has adopted lately.
"Senpai, I think Rin is right, maybe we shouldn't rush into the storm," Tobi says.
"Tche! If you want to go with her then go, I don't care."
He charges on and disappears ahead.
Perhaps it is not them, but he who is unwilling to accept the truth from someone like Rin? He does not view her as inferior, rather, it is her opinion that has minimal value.
The skies are now calm, but the light drizzle deceives. There are chilly specks that flow ever so gently across the morose ambience before it darkens in power.
"Senpai! Wait! Don't go there too quickly!"
His partner's voice trails into the distant. The echoes of the whistling gale is now an audible centre that occupies his mind and body.
He focuses on the view across the treacherous mountains, and tunes into nothing but the brightening horizon.
But his ignorance to the ear-splitting thunder distracts him from the impending lightning. The white flash appears. Rapid. Bright. His vision instantly blurs from the colossal force.
And just as suddenly, he is shaken from the reverie of the illuminating horizon. The present reality is the thundering weather, the screaming elements and the torrential rain.
But worse is his lack of preparation to the sudden change in wind direction.
They now fly against it.
"Senpai!" Tobi shouts.
"Tobi! We'll fly down!"
But the shrieking gale devours his words.
Frantically, he gestures for his partner to fly down.
And then it hits him. Something, someone, is missing.
"Where's Rin?" he shouts.
At that same moment, he sees her hanging from the bird sculpture in an apparent struggle against the ferocious storm.
The rain has now joined forces with the shrieking winds. It pelts at them like bullets and drags them down with the weight of water.
Then a third flash and Rin is no longer in contact with the sculpture.
She descends fast, and strangely with a very stoic expression on her face, as if she is already anticipating her death.
"Shit!" Deidara shouts.
He swerves to dodge another strike.
But the next vicious strike is too fast.
It hits him and then Tobi, two milliseconds apart. Their bodies tumble out the skies against the raw thrashing winds.
Within his own panic-stricken state, he loses all motivation to act.
His body is numb and unmoving
But then those callous eyes flash before him - that damn Sharingan. The image is enough to force his arms from the heavy weight of fear and gravity.
He has unfinished business. He cannot die like this. His rational mind races, but his body is behind.
Then he feels it. The painful burns and the brutal sensation of physical torture as his body drags itself down the slope of a very steep mountain.
He hits every tree and every branch. Faster and faster he goes, until his arm scrapes against something sharp. It uproots his hand from his side, and automatically, he reaches for the clay pouch.
"Make it!"
His humanoid sculpture envelopes. It shields his body from the brutal force of gravity, then rolls viciously over and over until it skids to a halt.
"Shit."