Author's Note: yaay, I only had to work on this chapter once! I was in a really good mood and managed to finish this in one night lol.

TrueGaaraRose: your review really made my day for I read it early in the morning when I was getting ready for school, I think that encouraged me the most to write this one so fast xD I like silly Tobi as well, that's why I got him into this fanfic hurhur.

Note: Inu is Japanese for dog.

Far Beyond The Truth

Chapter 5

The straight long dirty road seemed to never end as they kept walking forward without making any turn. It was now afternoon, the sun was departing taking with it mid-day's heat and welcoming the night's frost. The cloudless skies soon became a field of the ashy gray of haze and the birds were already starting to take refuge in their nests seeing that rain might fall any second now. It didn't seem to bother Deidara though, being protected by his hat he was wearing. Not even Tobi. Judging by his behavior he may actually like walking in the rain and furthermore, he might suggest having a rain-ball fight. It only seemed to disturb Ino. She had all the right for that though; she had no hat, no cloak, and was wearing the lightest clothes that could ever be worn. Excluding underwear, of course.

The cold was still bearable, but she couldn't help but to let out a shiver every now and then. It helped that she was talking with Deidara, however. It helped her get her mind off of those thoughts. And who knew she was really into the conversation.

"…So! I carried him on my back running as fast as I can! I just had to save the child, even though I was severely injured and was about to die myself, he was all alone in there, you know, un?" Deidara made few gestures while telling the lie. Err…story. It supported it that he widened his eyes and emphasized on words while making the most innocent face he didn't imagine he had.

Ino had her own eyes extended as she kept her focus on his talking. She had her hands on her heart and she gaped at him with empathy. Knowing he had her compassion, he carried on.

"And then, BAM! I jumped with Tobi in the last minute just before those bastards' hideout burst into flames! He endured the whole thing but he was still ruthlessly damaged," He secretly pointed at Tobi's head without making him notice. "..and he was acting like a kid ever since, un." He finished his drama.

Ino held her hands now closer to her face as her eyes teared up. She turned around checking the other guy before running back and squeezing him in a hug.

Tobi, surprised by the blonde's sudden action, shrugged it off and embraced her back getting more wholehearted.

"Tobi likes you too, Ino-chan!" he declared.

Still being in his arms, Ino couldn't help but to hear weird noises that made her break off of him. She turned around to see Deidara holding his stomach and breaking into hysterical laughter. She stared at him for a complete minute before the whole thing clicked in her brain.

"Hey you made that up!" she snapped pointing a finger at him.

Calming himself down a bit to be able to talk, he replied, "Of course I made that up, un! You managed to forget that already? I don't help people! You do have rigorous memory problems after all, un, man you should've seen your face!" He laughed all over again.

Ino felt heat rising all over her face as she lowered her face in shame. She wished he died at that very moment. But then again it was really stupid of her to believe such thing, now he must have thought she was incredibly gullible. She mentally slapped herself. The girl shot him a death glare before taking a deep breath and relaxing her over-stressed mind. Lifting her head back up again, she mumbled a "whatever, I'll get my revenge" and tried to flash a fake extra-wide pearly white smile. It sure as hell looked retarded though, as his reply took her off-guard.

"You call that a smile, un? You look like a dog who's about to bite someone." He smirked so hard that he started to feel his cheeks cramp.

Ino squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head from side to side as if trying to erase the idea from the air with her nose.

Calm down, Ino, don't kill him now, letting that get to you will only make him more satisfied, just wait till day three when you heal him, then you can beat him into a pulp. Yes, that sounds like a good plan for now.

The male blond stared at her oddly as she modified her expression from clenched teeth to a smile. He wondered if he should really carry on with his plan with this extremely bizarre girl or just quit. He never liked planning anyways. If it weren't for his leader criticizing him about it he wouldn't have done it.

The girl caught him staring at her. Looking away pouting, she vacillated a bit before deciding what to say next.

"Well if you're not telling me the real thing then I'm asking Tobi."

She stopped in her track and turned around towards Tobi, who was...busy with his own work.

"Three million five hundred forty two thousand six hundred and ten! Three million five hundred forty two thousand six hundred and eleven! "They heard him say.

"What are you doing Tobi, un?" Deidara asked staring at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Tobi is bored so Tobi is counting the trees we're passing by!"

The blond turned his gaze to Ino and grinned hard, "Good luck asking that, un."

Ino slammed her palm in her face. What he said was true, it's pointless asking Tobi anything, not that she didn't like him or anything –not saying she was too fond of him either- but she didn't think she could believe his words as well. She dropped the subject and continued walking, leaving it for another time.

Everything was barely visible as they kept their way for another hour, during which everyone stayed quiet. Surprisingly even Tobi. After he got to four million, he got bored and stopped counting. It was only a matter of minutes before the sun sets completely and they get surrounded by the darkness utterly.

"Senpai, Tobi is tired." He said dragging his legs farther.

"You can always stop, un, I didn't tell you to come along." The blond retorted.

"I agree with Tobi, we need to take a break, besides," She spoke before making a halt, "..I think we're lost, I've seen these trees before!"

"It's a forest, of course you'll be seeing trees everywhere, Yamanaka!"

"Don't call me by my last name!"

"Okay then, Inu-chaaan~" He teased in a singing voice.

"Ugh just shut up!" She yelled, "..and I'm staying here!"

She let her bag fall from her shoulder to the ground before sitting down and stretching her legs. She twitched when she knew she sat on a muddy puddle, but she didn't care much considering she already needed a bath. She looked up at Tobi who got her message and sat down beside her.

Not hearing his companions' footsteps behind him, he turned around and looked down at them before rolling his eyes.

"Okay fine," He huffed and walked back towards them, "..we'll camp here for the night, un."

Thirty minutes were enough time to prepare the camp. Tobi volunteered, of course, to look for wood for the fire. Deidara got some tree trunks for them to sit on to prevent what had happened earlier with Ino. They all got comfortable around the fire –well as much comfortable as someone could be sitting on a trunk- and remained silent.

"Well Tobi will be sleeping over there!" He pointed at a desolated area next to a big tree. He yawned standing up wishing them good night and waved, disappearing within the darkness.

The remaining teens sat there calmly. Wintry wind blew in Ino's hair making it get more disarray than it already was. She swore under her breath as she raised her legs up hugging them. What was she thinking when she wore this outfit in such a terrible weather?

You should be giving me your cloak you bastard.

She kept rubbing her hands on her legs and blowing soft air from her lungs to keep herself alive and not dying because of frostbite. That would seriously be a lame death.

Deidara seemed to notice her chilliness, at last. He didn't care much to do anything about it though. When their gazes met, he let a smirk grow on his face as he looked around him and used his hand as a fan.

"Man why is it so hot in here?"

Ino glared hard at him. If stares could kill, he would be seriously dead by now. "If you don't want your cloak just give it to me, jerk."

"Naah, I'm good, un."

"Yeah, what a gentleman. Aren't you gonna sleep?" she asked. Him not sleeping was Ino's last concerns, but she was just so bored and got sick of the crickets that were making the only sounds in this place.

"You would make a terrible Kunoichi. Someone has to stay for lookout, un."

He didn't add anything else. He grabbed a stick and started poking the wood holding the flames. Seeing he wasn't in the talking mood, she stood up and dusted herself, making her way towards her bag then throwing it on the ground next to the fire.

"I'm gonna sleep. Good night."

And with that, she laid down on the ground with the side of her head meeting her sack and her back facing the blond. Five minutes barely passed, and she was already in a deep slumber.

Deidara chuckled at her then stood up, walking towards her.

Shikamaru dragged himself in the streets towards his house. And by himself we mean himself and Ino. He was holding her on his back in a piggy back ride. The sky was much clearer now, they could see the sun poking its face behind the clouds, and even though it stopped raining, the petite still had the umbrella in one of her hands.

"How's your knee? Does it still hurt?" The young boy asked sheepishly, knowing that this whole thing was his fault"

"It does, a little, but I'm fine." A small smile made its way on her face, holding firmly her friend's shirt with her free hand.

Shikamaru's grip on the little girl's feet tightened, and he walked a little faster than before. Ino noticed his sudden reaction, she said nothing nonetheless.

"I'm sorry, Ino, it's my fault." He let those words out bitterly, guilt growing bigger within him.

"It is, but I forgive you." She poked his cheek then grabbed his shirt again quickly not to fall.

"Really? That's awesome! So you're not telling dad right?" Shikamaru turned his head back slightly towards her, wanting to look at her and the road at the same time.

"Naah, only 'cause you're getting me three flowers." She taunted him, gaining a pout from the boy.

"You're such a meanie user, that's totally not fair!" He grumbled.

The girl gave him a gentle kick on his waist, "Enough complaining and keep walking!" She commanded giving out a small laugh.

Shikamaru couldn't help but to laugh as well.

Ino opened her eyes and kept staring at the little flame that was about to fade in front of her. It took her a little while to remember what left her here and what had happened before she went to sleep.

So that Ino girl is me, but who's the other kid? She pondered. These dreams are surely freaking me out, I should really get home fast.

She stretched her arms then rubbed the back of her neck in pain, that bag was seriously a lousy pillow. It was still dark, which meant she barely slept at all, but for some reason she felt that she had slept enough and was energetic all over again. Looking around her ready to get up, she felt a heavy thing enveloping her.

She smiled when she saw Deidara's cloak on top of her.

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