Hey, all! 'Tis KRISH-un! And guess what? (My faithful readers will kill me for this) I'm going to slow down my updates! We're getting close to the end of the story, so from now on, I'm only gonna update on Mondays! Don't worry, there are still about 4 chapters left, so it'll be a while until the story's finished, but I thought you all would like to know that.

Yay! About the things I mentioned last chapter, one of them is a possible yes, and I got into the other group. I'm excited, but now I officially cannot take the bus home any longer.

Thank you to all who reviewed. now, enjoy the chapter!!

Tobi came running into the clearing, "Lady-sama! Other Lady! Come with Tobi! Now!" He grabbed both of them, still running.

Akai squirmed in the uncomfortable grasp, "TOBI?! What the HELL is wrong with you?!" She squirmed again, indignant.

Tobi turned to look at her briefly, the looked back at the way again, "C3." Was the only spoken answer.

Akai paled, "He…He's that desperate?! What the hell is going on back there?!" She squirmed again, "Tobi! We have to go back!"

Chikazi just hung limp under Tobi's other arm, totally and completely confused.

Tobi shook his head, "You know what C3 does, Lady-sama. We can't be anywhere near the explosion."

Akai whimpered, looking helplessly back in the general direction of Deidara and Sasuke, "Deidara-san…"

Chikazi looked up at Tobi, then over at Akai, "Would either of you mind telling me what C3 is?"

Tobi sighed, "Tobi will tell Lady-sama's friend. C3 is a kind of explosion that Deidara-senpai can do. The explosion itself is filled with little molecules that can explode. Anyone close to the explosion can breathe in the molecules, which Deidara-senpai can control as well. Senpai told Tobi to run and to save Lady-sama and Lady-sama's friend while he was running." He took a deep breath. "That's all Tobi knows."

Chikazi nodded, pretending to understand what he said, "Okay…" her eyes shifted slightly, betraying her unknowing-ness ((not a word XD))

Akai chuckled, "He said, Cassie, that Deidara's explosion is filled with little explosion thingies. Deidara can make the little thingies explode whenever he wants to, so if you breathe them in, he can make you explode, which is why we're running."

"Ooooooooooooh…" Chikazi said, understanding that.

Tobi pouted under his mask, "But… but that's exactly what Tobi said!"

Akai laughed again, "I'm fluent in Cassie language. Don't worry, Tobi, you'll understand eventually." She snickered, knowing that Chikazi only spoke slight 'Shinobi' and was fluent in watered-down 'Girl'.

Tobi just sighed, "Tobi hopes so, because Lady-sama and Lady-sama's friend are confusing Tobi so much right now…"

Akai laughed again, but sobered up as yet another explosion rocked the ground around them. "Deidara-san…" She murmured, whimpering slightly under her breath.

Tobi looked down at her, "Lady-sama… Was Tobi right?"

"About what?" Akai asked, feigning confusion. She REALLY didn't want this now.

"Was Tobi right?" This masked nin was persistent. "Tobi knows he was right, or else Lady-sama wouldn't be acting like this…"

Akai sighed, "Fine, then. Yes, Tobi! You were right!" She sulked, still hanging from under Tobi's arm.

Tobi cheered slightly, "Tobi knew it!" he threw his arms in the air, flinging both girl's higher from the ground. Both screamed.

When they were lowered safely back down, Chikazi blinked, "Tobi was right about what?"

Tobi turned to her, while under his other arm, Akai was freaking out. "Tobi asked Akai before if Lady-sama l-!"

Akai cut him off, "SHUT UP TOBI!" She practically screamed, bright red.

Tobi giggled, "Yes, Lady-sama. Tobi will shut up now."

Chikazi pouted, "I hate being left out! Caya, you know that!"

Akai sighed, "Yes, but I'd rather that you didn't know this." She scowled at Tobi, "Tobi, you are forbidden to tell her."

Tobi giggled again, "Yes, Lady-sama. Tobi will not tell Lady-sama's friend because Tobi is a good boy!" he would have been grinning happily if the mask weren't there.

Akai sighed, "Yes, well, whatever."

Another, bigger explosion caused the ground around them to shake. Akai paled, murmuring, again. "Deidara-san…"

Tobi nodded, "C3, Lady-sama. Hopefully this will end the fight, either for our side, or theirs."

Chikazi paled at this, "Wait… Deidara is attacking SASUKE with this C3 thingy?"

Both Tobi and Akai nodded, sweat dropping, "Yeah…"

Chikazi spazzed, "OH MY GOD! What the HELL am I doing here?! I need to go back!" She managed to wriggle out of Tobi's arms at the same moment Akai did.

Akai slapped her, "Cassie Carollo. Listen to me!" She glared at her friend, "What will you do when you're there?! You'll only get in the way! It kills me to be out here when Deidara's fighting for his life there, but still! I know I have to be here, because it's better for him! You're being here is better for Sasuke because he knows that you, at least, are safe!" She took a deep breath, still seething.

Chikazi sighed, admitting defeat, "Well, what can I do then?! Sitting around waiting may be fine for you, Caya, but I can't STAND it! I can't just sit here while he's going to get hurt or-…or DIE, DAMMIT!" She scowled, "I can't do it, Caya. I just can't!"

Akai sighed, "I know you can't, Cassie. That's why we're all the way out here. Even if I let you go back, you wouldn't make it by the time one of them was dead." She took a deep breath.

"L-Lady-sama…" Tobi gasped, "Your hand!"

Akai held up her hand. It was disappearing like when they had been entering the book's world. She smiled sadly, lifting it to her face to get a better look. "Well, we know now, don't we?" She smiled at Chikazi, "I'll see you Cassie, when you wake up. Tobi…" She turned her head toward the masked nin, "I wish I could have stayed longer and have found out whom you really are. You're the best. I couldn't have asked for more here." She sighed, her whole right arm was gone and her left arm and leg had started to disappear.

Chikazi stared at her, "Y-You mean…?"

"Yeah…" Akai said, laughing slightly, "Sasuke survived. Run back to him, Cassie. He's gonna need you. Or do you want Karin to get there first?"

Chikazi's eyes widened, "You want me to leave you now?!" She couldn't believe her ears.

Akai laughed, "Well, it's not like I'm dying, so yeah, go."

Chikazi nodded gratefully and ran off at full speed towards the man she loved.

Akai looked up at Tobi, having repositioned herself on the ground, as her right leg was now going. "Tobi, don't lose your attitude, please. You are the most cheerful person I have ever met. Please don't change…" Her torso had started to disappear. She smiled sadly as she started to fade, "Can I have a hug?"

Tobi nodded, pulling what was left of the silver-haired girl into a hug. "Tobi will miss you, Lady-sama..."

"Thanks, Tobi…" Akai murmured as her head disappeared.

Tobi held his hands out in front of himself, "Lady-sama…" He whispered. "Senpai!" He shrieked, running in the same direction Chikazi had.

Chikazi ran into the clearing, "Sasuke-sensei?!"

The rest of Snake was already in the clearing. "About time, Chikazi." Karin snorted.

Sasuke silenced her with a look, "Chikazi." He stood shakily and walked over to her, "What happened to your friend?"

"She…She's gone, Sasuke-sensei…" Chikazi whispered, "When Deidara died, she disappeared."

"Back to your world?" Sasuke asked abruptly.

"Yeah…" Chikazi murmured, "I won't see her again unless either you or I die." She took a deep breath, "That's not a comforting thought."

Sasuke suddenly enveloped her into in a hug.

"S-Sasuke-sensei?!" Chikazi exclaimed, reddening.

"I'm just glad my seito is still alive…" Sasuke murmured, "Especially because you are my seito, Chikazi." ((Seito student in Japanese.))

Chikazi reddened again. "Wh-What are we going to do now?"

Sasuke sighed, releasing her, "I don't know, but I know that I need to heal. So we're going to give up the search for a while."

The other members of snake nodded, Karin seething silently at Chikazi. Chikazi supported Sasuke as they began the long trek to the closest village.

Well, officially late SPOILER ALERT!!!! Sorry to all the Deidara fans, but I had to do this. It's canon, you know. So, oh well. See you in a week! R + R!