"You filthy beast."
That was his name, wasn't it? Deidara, roughly meaning mud monster, knew now why he would be called such a name. He was not wanted; they were fine before him, they were happy without him. They were alive without him.
Everyone was better off without him. He could only look into the mirror in the dim yellow candlelight, and see the face of the filthy beast that was foolish enough to believe they cared for him.
Brushes wove through his long, blond locks as Deidara was prepped for the ceremony. He remained silent, and as stiff as possible. He didn't want to upset anyone by jerking away at a painful tug on his scalp, even if it truly did hurt every now and then. He was prompted to dress in a small room separate from the women helping him; most likely because he was still a boy, just a very effeminate one.
Which prompted the train of thought of just how this union was going to work. Children were usually a requirement for a functional marriage in this country; if you didn't provide at least one son, your husband was usually given permission to kill you. Something was definitely not right, and Deidara figured he needed to know what exactly the truth was if he was genuinely going to be marrying this man.
As Deidara tied the obi of the garment around himself, he looked back to his reflection in the mirror. He had never seen his hair so neatly brushed, and his nails looked so clean. It was a bit of a shock to him, though he did approve of the way his hair was tied back. Maybe one day he could adapt that into a more casual style, especially if he would be taken away from this manor after tonight. No longer would he have to deal with Onoki's constant nagging to do something about his "rat's nest" of a mane, which suited him just fine.
Deidara reentered the parlor and sat back down on the bench; almost like clockwork, the servants wasted no time in continuing with the preparations. Unfortunately for Deidara, makeup was mandatory. His youthful skin didn't require much, but he was forced to endure a blend of powders and some kind of eye paint. His eyes were outlined with a liner - the only change on his face he actually liked, and his lips were painted with a coral pigment. Looking at himself now, the difference was almost night and day between his normal look and this woman he saw in the mirror. It almost fooled even him; he could barely associate himself with his own reflection.
It wasn't even high noon yet, and Deidara's seemingly banal day had taken an unanticipated - as well as unwanted - turn. His life was no longer his own; he couldn't "just leave" any longer when death sounded like a more palatable alternative to being the glorified royal prisoner. He was now property; a commodity, for the less empathetic. To be exchanged and used, dragged through this life like a helpless rag doll; that was what awaited a young bride in this country.
Yes, Deidara knew exactly what became of the children wed to an older man. He had seen what were once those unfortunate children after they had oxidized a bit on a few of his walks through the forests with his older brother when he was younger.
"Look away, little brother. That is not your future, that is not you."
Deidara almost smiled at the irony. What a stupid boy he was; no human alive could walk as a god amongst men, free of the sin of lying. His brother was no god, he was just a nameless body in some pit.
A woman - the oldest of the three - tapped Deidara's shoulder, gesturing over to the door that led back to the main hall. Deidara had to make a choice right now; did he want to spend the rest of his life as a servant, or did he just need a few minutes to use the bathroom - and never be heard from again?
Deidara ultimately decided it was better to roll the dice than to never try at all. He looked to the older woman with pleading eyes, using the best sympathetic face he could muster. With his legs crossed deliberately, he directed his gaze over to the latrine on the other side of the hall - one with a window that led to an alleyway. It was his best bet, and if he could maneuver his path just right he could be halfway back to his home valley by nightfall.
A dirty look appeared on the woman's face, but she let out a resigned sigh. She probably saw through that, as old as she was. Deidara hoped she simply was too old to care, but gave a final bow - one of gratitude - regardless of her intentions and "momentarily" excused himself.
Deidara took great care in shutting the door softly, to keep up the appearance of an inconspicuous boy with a deer in headlights look in his eyes. He even jiggled the knob just to ensure that he let people nearby know he was a nervous wreck. The room was small, and the window was only a tiny square - he would need to strategize briefly.
Upon examining himself, he knew the outer layer of the kimono and the rabbit fur had to go. He also took care to loosen his hair while he was at it, as such a fancy style would make him stand out - the worst possible thing right now. There was a happi robe hanging from the door, so he hastily replaced the fur and outer dress with that. The obi could stay; it was too much work to remove it quickly. The garish war paint tacked onto his face could prove useful as a disguise, so it was worth keeping it on as well. Deidara gave himself a once-over in the small mirror; he looked as a young, middle class girl would if she were walking about in the center of the city. It was serviceable, and it would have to do; he needed to leave right then, or he may get caught.
Deidara climbed onto the toilet, carefully prying the windowpane open as quietly as he could. With a few jiggles, the frame itself nearly detached from the home itself. Deidara held his breath at the sharp cracking of the aged wood as he frantically tried to keep the neglected structure from collapsing right there, but to no avail. The window was destroyed, but thankfully Deidara's handling of it prevented any loud noises from occurring. With his bare foot, he pressed down on the handle to flush the commode while he sprung out the window in the same movement.
Deidara tumbled out onto the cold stone pavement, wincing at the pain from the impact. This was nothing, Deidara reassured himself. He needed to keep moving; one minute wasted by stalling was one minute he could have used to secure a safe escape. He clumsily stuffed the broken pane back into the now square-shaped hole in the Tsuchikage's manor, an offense he would hopefully never have to pay for. Deidara gave one last look back up to where his room was; there was no way he could go back for any of his last remaining things, so he would just have to leave whatever small trinkets he took with him to this forsaken place behind.
With little hesitation, Deidara made his best effort to appear as if he were calmly strolling through the mildly-crowded streets. All he had to do was head north from here, and once he got past a long stretch of dark woodlands he would be practically untouchable. There were few ninja in the Stone Village who dared to oppose the north - the unknown wild lands. Or, at least they were fabled to be so. Deidara knew that was mostly a myth, but it was a strongly believed-in myth for the southern people of the Earth Country. It was his most valuable asset, so the prejudice of the unknown was a welcome advantage to Deidara in this situation.
So far, so good. His easy, yet quick pacing method was proving useful, and he didn't even need to step foot in the Academy once where the "elite" children would train to learn the single most important lesson of a ninja: stealth will be your savior, or your undoing. Deidara could even see the snow-capped mountains on the horizon, and his eyes lit up with an almost-forgotten hope upon the sight. He was really doing it; Deidara was going to truly outsmart a warlord of a Kage, and every subordinate under him. Within the next twenty-four hours, he would be almost home - almost free.
There was a light brush against his shoulder, but when Deidara briefly turned around he saw no one before him. He shrugged; it must have been an accident. Pressing onward, Deidara began to feel a sense of dread looming around him. It was just his emotions, he attempted to reassure himself that no one would be following him as he quietly panicked. Perish the thought, press onward, or press the issue and perish. That was the clear road map he had laid out in his mind, though even he knew it was easier said than done. He didn't even know of a punishment in existence for an offense like this; for all he knew, they would have to invent one if they actually managed to catch him. That thought was enough inspiration to keep going for Deidara, no matter how much he wanted to relax; he knew such a luxury would come later - just not now.
A good few minutes passed before Deidara felt a slight tap, with a bit more intensity this time. He jumped, but made a point to continue onward in spite of the distraction. Not even a matter of moments passed before Deidara was forcibly grabbed, a strong arm holding him in an all-too-familiar type of grip. It wasn't quite the same, however; he was being pushed firmly against the wall of some old stone building, so no one could actually see him. Deidara shifted his gaze briefly up towards the man in the red armor, with his face hidden and eyes that looked worn from life. It was his first really good look over of him, though he had hoped to never have had to do such a thing.
"You're annoying, you know that?" Han said, his voice low so only Deidara could fully understand what he told him.
"I'm-" Deidara was cut off by Han placing his hand around his mouth, muffling his voice.
"I don't want you to get the wrong idea, it's nothing you did. The last woman - some whore they dug up in a brothel - was such an insult that I just lost control for a minute, and now they think they can double down on it with some boy," Han's usually quiet front was broken for a moment, unloading one little grievance of his onto the stranger he was supposed to accept as a spouse. Deidara listened, figuring it wasn't worth disputing this with someone every bit a part of this unwelcome union as he was.
"I can't say I blame you for wanting to run off. It saves us all a good amount of trouble, actually," Han said, his tone a bit more lighthearted than before.
After a short pause, Deidara said under his breath, "Then why don't you let me, hm?"
"Explain to me how you're going to leave, if it's alright," Han said.
"Through the dark woods, and a couple of old mountain passes. Why, hm?" Deidara asked.
"Because I'd rather not feel responsible for a child's death, even if I understand their reasons. You'd likely be eaten by wolves or murdered by a rogue before you made it an hour through those woods," Han said, his words blunt.
"I made it here fine the first time," Deidara retorted.
"With a Kage, his guards, and likely a small army. You're telling me you've got a small army hidden under that rat's nest or something?" Han said.
Deidara winced at those words. Rat's nest, was it? That was just about all he could take; he didn't care if this was his former charge's uncle, Han had crossed a line when he insulted Deidara the same way Onoki did. He tried to jerk away from him, or just loosen his grip; it was futile, but worth the statement it made. Han did flinch when he protested, so to Deidara, the effort was not wasted at the very least.
"Woah there, Sundrop. If you want to march toward death, that's fine. I was just offering a more safe alternative," Han hissed, so close to Deidara's ear that his breath warmed his cold-bitten cheek.
"What are you talking about, hm?" Deidara asked, his voice struggling to remain hushed.
"You're heading to the north valley, aren't you?" Han asked.
"Yeah, what of it, hm?" Deidara replied.
"I was about to venture up there myself, and maybe if we play this shit hand of ours right we can both get something better out of this," Han said, his grip loosening. Deidara knew that he would have to make the choice soon, and he would be free to make either from the looks of it. Perhaps Han wasn't the worst human the Stone Village had spat out, if not by a large margin.
"So what you're saying is that we should go through with it? Hm? You don't really strike me as the perverted geezer type..." Deidara said, muttering the last bit from the embarrassment of the idea of it all.
"You're right about that, I'm not into that lifestyle. But us leaving together would give me enough cover to get my family off my back, and it would give you a bodyguard capable of protecting you on your way back home," Han said, his arm fallen back to his side. It seemed that Deidara needed to give an answer now; no more time could be taken.
"What about, ah, you know. That, hm?" Deidara asked, his fingers fidgeting around a bit. Han seemed to understand the childishly-put question, though he didn't seem too bothered by it.
"It'll end unconsummated, go wherever you want after, just don't go back to Onoki," Han said as he waved his hand to gesture his indifference.
Deidara thought for a few seconds. Sure, he could risk it in the woods and remain completely free. He was also certain this wasn't the first time a youth would be offered such a deal, only to have it retracted once the bedding ceremony began. This was a tough decision, surely. Deidara might need to test the waters a tiny bit more, however. He couldn't be certain that Han wasn't just lying out of his concealed teeth.
"Speaking of the Tsuchikage, what will we say when I come back with my kimono half-missing, hm?" Deidara asked.
"The truth. You got cold feet, we talked, and you came around. There's no need to hide that, worse could've happened," Han said reassuringly.
Deidara gave one final pause, "So, how will the ceremony go, hm?"
"Relatively small, and very private. That's how most Jinchuuriki get married, at least," Han said.
"Jinchuuriki? I've never heard of that term, is there something wrong with you?" Deidara asked, growing a bit concerned.
Han sighed, "Damn mountain sprites. Yeah, there is, actually. It's not worth discussing, since you're probably going to be gone by tomorrow morning."
"I suppose, hm. Should we get back to the manor, then?" Deidara asked, gesturing to the Kage's homestead in the distance.
"Very well. Just a heads up, this will be the last conversation we will have. I don't actually like humans, no offense," Han said.
Before Deidara could even respond, Han had already turned around back in the direction of the Kage's residence. Deidara huffed, somewhat flustered by his last comment, but not willing to press the issue much more. He was rather ashamed of his decision to return after so adamantly making the resolve to escape, but c'est la vie, so the saying goes. It must have been a weaker resolve than he thought; he made a mental note that he needed to train a bit once he got back to his home, so if this were to happen again he could hold some actual leverage.
The walk was short, yet quiet. Deidara didn't feel any tension between Han and himself, though he certainly didn't feel comfortable around him either. When they finally went through the door to the manor, it seemed nobody had anticipated their arrival. It was an empty house, at least for now. Deidara figured the actual ceremony would be held somewhere else; somewhere more fitting of a marriage of such a high profile.
Han pointed to the parlor area, "Go fix your kimono, and your rat's nest. I'll be waiting for you at the Temple of Arbor, so try to be ready in about half an hour or so."
Deidara nodded his head slowly, heading further into the parlor to correct his attire. He removed the happi robe, and found his outer robe and rabbit's fur were still hanging on the bathroom door. That meant nobody had seen it yet, or at least there was a good chance of that being the case. Regardless, Deidara headed to the changing parlor to attempt to fix his messy hair. He definitely couldn't restyle it back into its previous up-do, but he could certainly make it look a fair bit better. With nobody watching, Deidara also pocketed the eye liner that was left on the table; they could afford the loss.
When Deidara looked over to the clock, it read that it was nearly 5 P.M.. His heart skipped a beat; he was about to make such a huge leap, even if it wasn't truly going to land him where others expected it to. With that aside, he did wonder how Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi were taking all of this. Were they upset? Distraught? Did they even care in the smallest amount? After all, they could easily find a new "mother" to care for the siblings. It was seen as a blessing to be a caged swallow in that home, as many others had reinforced throughout his stay here. He decided it was best to not concern himself with such thoughts for now.
Quietly, Deidara crept out into the main entrance to look around for anyone to escort him; he figured that at the very least he would require to be walked to a "Temple of Arbor" which he had never before seen in his life. Directions might be a requirement here; it wasn't as if he had a very well-drawn map to go by. On that thought, Deidara made a mental note to bring that up as a wedding gift; that would come in handy later to navigate the mountains.
Deidara stood there for a few moments, until he heard the light patter of someone's feet begin to descend the staircase. Maybe it was one of the unknown men with Onoki earlier in the day, or maybe it was just one of the servants going about their duties. Deidara need only glimpse out of the corner of his eye to see the flash of bright, stark red hair that he had been introduced to back in the woods. He looked down, oddly embarrassed at his current situation in a way that inhibited his usual inviting demeanor.
The young man looked over Deidara briefly, before abruptly clearing his throat. Deidara's head shot up, his focus was completely on the redhead now. The young man gave a half smile, his eyes telling of his disinterest. Deidara could relate all-too-well with that feeling, he would have strongly preferred to be in his room with a sculpture-in-progress in hands right now. With little noise, the mysterious man had fully descended the staircase and swiftly graced up to a little over a foot before Deidara.
His face somewhat flushed, Deidara sputtered, "D-Do you dance, hm?"
The strange man's nose crumpled, a rather odd mixture of disgust and bafflement smeared across his once placid face. Deidara kicked himself in his mind; what a stupid way to greet someone! What a dimwit he was, and what a spectacle he made! It was probably his nerves getting to him, but it was unfortunate to ward off someone he should have thanked from the very start.
"What kind of a stupid question is that? Who are you, anyway?" he said. The obvious annoyance in his words was enough to make Deidara's heart sink to his stomach; he just wanted someone to come get him before this got any worse.
"No-no-no-no-no, your footing was just so swift and light! I assumed you did, hm?" Deidara spat out, sloppily bowing to try and cover any negative feeling left.
"I don't."
"My apologies-"
"I'm going to go now. You're kind of annoying, frankly."
"Thank you, hm?!" Deidara called out just before the front door closed with a loud thud. He stood there for a brief moment, somewhat in a state of shock. He felt embarrassed, but also agitated. Did he have to be some important political figure or a royal family member to get any form of basic respect? Was that the secret to being treated like a human in this world?
Deidara only had to look around at the various looming paintings of all of the Tsuchikage - plus their beautifully-dressed families - to get his answer to that question.
It didn't take long before the same older servant found Deidara; she sighed, a resigned look about her. It must have disappointed her that he couldn't escape, or at least Deidara imagined it to be so. It was time to leave, however; Deidara couldn't ask for any more time. With his focus completely on what was ahead of him, the servant gently took Deidara by the arm and began to lead him to the Temple of Arbor.
The cold autumn afternoon was as peaceful as any other, with the snowy mountains illuminated by the orange and lavender sky. The red leaves blew with the breeze in a way that resembled a crackling hearth, at least to Deidara. It wouldn't be long until this was his existence; to raise a small garden, live off his family's land, and maybe even take a real spouse one day as well. Nothing but peace, until he would make a cold, clean break with history when he quietly passed on a night much like this one.
He hoped that when that time came, whenever it may, he could see a blaze of red like this before he went.
The temple itself was remarkably close, much to Deidara's surprise. It was probably as to not draw attention to a wedding such as this, and whatever a Jinchuuriki might be probably didn't want much attention either. The doors were already ajar; they were waiting for him inside. The stone steps seemed like a mountain in itself to Deidara, his legs trembling a slightly noticeable amount. The servant nudged him, putting her finger to her lips to tell him to be quiet as they walked inside. Deidara gave her a faint acknowledgement, then returned his focus to what was before him.
There were only a few people in attendance. Han, obviously, was at the end of the small front room beneath a statue of some woman. There was Onoki, with Kitsuchi by his side, along with his wife and their two children next to them. Both looked sullen, quietly eyeing Deidara as he was given to yet another face he did not recognize to be walked the rest of the way. He could hear even the soft footsteps he made, as the room was uncomfortably silent. It was to be expected, but it felt dreadful all the same. Once he was left beneath the statue with Han, Deidara gave a somewhat feminine bow; he wanted to at least play the obedient servant while he was still subjected to it.
Han gripped Deidara's left hand, having him hold it in suspension for a moment. He tied a blue ribbon around the wrist, then placed his own hand parallel to Deidara's and wrapped the remainder of the ribbon around his own. This was the abridged version of a normally long and drawn out ceremony, probably to save time so Han could leave as soon as possible. All that was left was to say a vow, a single phrase usually concocted by the groom in the partnership; or in this case, the "man" would suffice.
"For the night," Han said, his voice monotonous.
"For the night," Deidara repeated, going through the motions to get to the finale of this drollery.
It was such a rebellious phrase, but its true intent was masked under the thin veneer of promise and adherence. If it could fool everyone here, it could get Deidara back to his home. It was more than worth it to make such an empty vow, one that lasted only a single night. It was truly a beautiful thought to hold on to; he would cherish this fleeting union as long as he would breathe.
The small crowd of people rose as Deidara turned to exit with his "husband", and followed the two out of the temple until they were at the bottom of the front steps. There was a horse waiting for the two; a stallion with a vibrant amber coat, and taller than any other horse Deidara had ever seen. Deidara jumped as he was lifted off the ground by Kitsuchi and placed on the back of the steed, followed by Han climbing atop at the harness. Deidara only caught a glimpse of Kurotsuchi sadly waving goodbye before the beast had trotted off, toward the dark woods that led to the little shack in that mountain valley.
Deidara squeezed his eyes shut; as much as he loathed being a servant, it was a shame to have to sacrifice caring for that girl. He would miss her, and hopefully one day they could meet again. He only hoped the next "mother" they found for her cherished her like a fine painting, and didn't casually toss her aside as her real mother had. He could tell it had an effect on her despite her cheerful attitude. Deidara buried his face in the kimono sleeves, the dark enshrouding his vision of anything in the world except the echoing clicks of the stallions hooves on the road.
Eventually, the crickets began to chirp in the cold night, the two travelers alone on a path that leads through a relatively untouched thicket of ebony trees with only a narrow dirt road for the men that chose to brave the trek. Deidara remained silent, as did Han. The two didn't really have anything to say; all that had been said before was everything that was necessary. There was only the occasional wolf's howl or frog's croak to get the couple to perk up. Deidara's eyelids were heavy, but he didn't want to sleep until he was safely at his home. He couldn't sleep, not even if he tried; he was too nervous that he would end up in another trap if he even dared to rest.
He must have kept his eyes closed for an awfully long time, however, because he could make out the end of the dark woods in the far distance. The stallion must have helped speed things up exponentially; the marriage might have been worth the free ride. Han practically exuded terror from the mere look of him, so any bandit might have thought twice about confronting them, if any had been around at all. He had never heard of bandits in his home, and the idea of robbing someone with nothing to give seemed a little pointless. It was probably another urban legend from the south, as most terrifying stories of the north were.
"This will lead us to the correct pass, Sundrop. Once we're past that we'll be at your precious valley, and I won't remain too far off from you," Han said quietly, breaking the symphony of nature Deidara had been left with all this time.
"Why is that, hm?" Deidara asked, his voice a bit hoarse from exhaustion.
"We're being followed," Han said.
Deidara froze up; was it one of Onoki's guards? A bandit? Or was it some animal that liked the idea of the horse they were riding on? He couldn't tell by looking around the last part of the forest, and not even once they were out of the woods did he even see any sign of a pursuer. Whatever was following them was stealthy; probably a ninja, mostly like a guard in case anything interfered. Deidara didn't know why this was so important, but it must have been a high priority to get this man married off to whoever they could find. He couldn't imagine why, though.
The pass really was a tight fit; it could barely give enough room for the steed to move normally. It was only going at a slight trot by this point; most likely due to the loud echo that would alert the entire north of their presence if he went to fast. It was a very safe play, and any ambush would be faced with a great challenge with the space given to land a proper attack. Plus, Deidara could always use his own little quirk if it came down to his life.
It wasn't really anything special, though his mother had told him for as long as he could remember to not alert anyone of his possession of it. Something about being forced into the "Explosion Corps" if anyone caught wind of his abilities. His father and brother both had it, but his mother didn't. She mentioned once she wished it had been different with Deidara for a reason she never made known, and he never really bothered to ask her why. It was probably just one of her neurotic panic attacks when she had let that slip; nothing worth caring about.
That was probably why when he would take a scalding hot bath and not even flinch, others were terribly confused by his peculiar actions. Or maybe he shocked a servant when he picked up a hot tray with little effort and set it on the table as if it were nothing, and acted puzzled when others asked if he was insane. He probably was, considering nobody else he had met in the Stone Village could not be burnt the way he could; and the explosions he could create from his hands were no exception.
Before long they had arrived at a familiar mountain clearing; his home, only a few miles away from where he was now. It all seemed so surreal, but fitting. Han had kept his promise, much to Deidara's relief. He didn't know exactly what a Jinchuuriki was, but Deidara generally assumed he could not win a match against any trained ninja regardless of their class. He let out a small sigh of relief as they arrived in the valley; just a little bit longer, just a little bit further and he would be free.
A little while later, the two approached a small house several hundreds of yards away from Deidara's destination. Han stopped the steed, climbing off himself first but left Deidara on. Unsure if he was giving him the steed or not, Deidara turned his head over to the direction of his home. Han nodded, gesturing to the horse.
"Keep him, I've got my own. It was nice to know you, Sundrop," Han said.
"Han, uh, thank you. I don't know how I can repay you, hm," Deidara said, his head lowered even though he was taller than him while on the stallion.
"Just go, if those two are going to ambush me, I'd rather be alone," Han said. Deidara nodded in agreement, using the reins to try and maneuver the horse to turn for him. It worked, to an extent; the horse must have been used to his scent and feel after that long ride.
He barely even gave Han a final glance before he was already bolting across the field on his new horse. He would have to find a name for him soon, which would give him something to think about while he started up his fields. There were so many things he could do now; he might even dedicate the time to becoming a famous artist, as this country was severely lacking in such a culture. The thoughts of his endless future almost completely blinded him to the dark figure standing only yards away from his old home; it wasn't until the stallion started to get nervous and attempted to buck Deidara did he take notice of the unwanted presence.
Deidara stopped and jumped down from the steed, rushing to the front door of his house. The night worsened his vision considerably, but he could still make out the dull red in the dim moonlight. Deidara breathed a sigh of relief; he knew that flash of red anywhere by now.
"I'm glad you could make it all the way here, hm," Deidara said, his voice ringing with warmth.
He heard a nauseating series of clicks, almost as if bone joints and wood were mashed together in a sickening twist. The young man did not speak, at least not for a brief moment. There was a small hiss, one of ignition. This man, Deidara now thought, might actually be trying for his life. For whatever reason he had come up with, Deidara was worth killing.
"Your silence is necessary. Rest assured, your husband will be taken good care of. It's not as if child whores have much of a place in this world, anyway."
That was the final thing Deidara heard before the bright, scorching flames appeared from seemingly nowhere. With his hand outstretched in a futile attempt to stop him, he saw his arm be engulfed in the dancing blaze. His home would only add to the kindling, and his horse as well. Deidara closed his eyes; he fell to the ground in exhaustion. There was nothing he could do now but burn, and he didn't want to see what would happen after this debacle. Deidara could make out the pained whinnies of his stallion as it burned alive with him, until he finally gave in to a much-wanted unconsciousness.
-and-and-and-and-and-
Ashes.
The grey earth beneath him smelled of burnt flesh and kindlewood; an overcast morning with looming grey skies starkly contrasted to the vibrant red trees scattered around the valley. The grass was singed, brown, and dead. There was but a charred mess where the stallion once proudly stood, and the home he had almost made it back to now had been wiped from the earth.
Somewhat shaken, Deidara rose from where he had fallen last night. His clothes were destroyed, and his skin and hair were covered with ash and grime. He wanted to yell, but what would that do? Wherever the red-headed bastard had gone, it couldn't have been far enough to not hear his rage and vengeful cries. There was one thing that no northern or southern resident of the earth country could ever disagree on, and that was if one's life was ruined you have the backing of the Earth Mother herself to hunt down and kill whoever wronged you.
There was nothing here any longer. Deidara feebly dug through the ashes, with little results in the way of surviving items. It must have been a powerful blaze; thankfully his mouth had been kept tightly shut about his slight immunity to extreme heat. The same couldn't be said for much else, sadly. It was a given that Han was gone, as well. Possibly, at least. He may have been able to overpower them, but two of these guys? That was unfortunately unlikely, as much as Deidara wanted them to have been sent running with their tails between their legs.
It was probably hours later that Deidara heard footsteps circling around him. The armor was nearly destroyed, and his face bloodied; he looked as if he had been up the entire night from the bags under his eyes. He looked almost terrified when he saw Deidara's naked form digging through the ashes and rubble, but he steadily approached the young man until he stood before him. Much to Deidara's surprise, Han kneeled down to Deidara with his head lowered.
"Blood of the stones, you are just like the Mother herself," Han said, his breath bated.
Deidara silently gazed back to Han, curious by his statement.
"They said they'd send someone else, someone much more powerful. I don't know when," Han continued as Deidara remained silent.
Han held out a headband, with a Stone Village symbol on the plate. Deidara began to breathe heavily; he knew he was not worthy of such an honor, yet he was being handed it practically for free.
"They asked for me to come with them, and I told the smarmy bastards to piss off. I will need a second mouth to tell him the same when they send the next piece of shit to try it again, and you might be worth it enough to put a little time into," Han said, handing the headband to the dumbfounded Deidara.
"Like the Mother, hm?" Deidara muttered, still so torn over the losses.
"Yeah, in a way. With an ability like that, you're nigh indestructible. At least if you keep a distance, which is what we'll need to help you with," Han said.
"Are we still, you know, hm?" Deidara asked.
"Forget the damn marriage, neither of us wanted it. I can probably get my brother to come help a little bit too, you'll probably like Roshi," Han said, trying to reassure Deidara.
As he looked around him, there was nothing left to hold on to. There was only a faint memory that may soon be forgotten by anyone who existed; lost to time itself. Deidara didn't know what that red-headed man even took from him, but it still was a huge thorn in his side for now. Deidara looked down to his hands; the Stone Village's crest was something he never thought he would own. He could travel freely across the world with this if he really wanted to; there was nothing that could stand in his way if he actually managed to master that volatile explosion release that had plagued his family for so long.
With any form of luck, he may even be able to leave a lasting scar on this world - far greater than this field of ash he stood in.
-and-and-and-and-and-
A/N: I apologize if there are any grammatical or spelling errors, sleep is for the weak or some crud. I kind of need some though.