A/n: This is a really long chapter!!! There are two HUGE flashbacks and the next one is going to have flashbacks as well. You people are finally at the part where everything begins to fall into place :
Ok, so people PLEASE review. I love them, they make me happy inside
Deidara ran her hand along her sword and looked at Sakura. "Your blood will be pretty on my sword" she smiled maliciously.
Sakura glared at her and tapped her sword lightly on the ground. "What are you waiting for Dei? Come and attack me, you're still my friend I will only defend" she said propping her sword on her shoulder.
Deidara scoffed and jumped at her, "Fine!" she yelled swinging down with such power Sakura barely held her back. "This is the true power of the 11th squad's Captain!" she yelled and her yellow reiatsu flared.
Sakura was pushed down into the building through the roof and fell with a hard hit on the floor. "Come out Sakura!" Deidara hissed her name as she looked down the whole.
"I didn't get the name for one of the strongest Captain's by being a favorite. I actually trained hard," Deidara froze and held her head.
"AH!" she dropped her sword and held her head with both her hands. She kneeled down and hide her faces between her legs as pictures flew threw her head.
Flashback. . .
"Sasori!" a teenage blonde yelled as she ran down the hall to catch up with the two redheads. Both looked behind them too see the blonde in their swords class.
She stopped when she reached them and Gaara already not caring what she had to say began to walk ahead. "What?" Sasori asked looking down at her.
"Well I was wondering maybe since you're so good, maybe we could train together?" Deidara asked shyly and she held her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth.
"I only train with people my level, get better and maybe I will. That is if you stop being a weakly" he said before turning to leave and following Gaara down the hall. She stood there frozen. His words cutting like a razor sharp knife.
Deidara looked up from her spot on the ground the ground and looked after Sasori and smirked with fire in her eyes. "Fine Sasori you want to play hard to get I'll get strong and I will beat you" she promised herself with a smile.
Deidara snapped from her memory and glared at the ground. She stood there for a moment everything going black until she straightened up and looked at the now standing Sakura.
Sakura frowned a bit seeing her friend's eyes with a slight yellow tint to them. Deidara straightened up and her smirk returned to her face.
"Soar, Nendokinchou!"
"Scatter, Senbonzakura!"
Both yelled and the pink flowers and the birds crashed against each other. Deidara disappeared and moved in front of Sakura bringing her leg down almost on Sakura's head. Rolling out of the way she grabbed Deidara's hand as she tried to punch her. Sakura pulled her hand back and attempted the same. Only to be met with Deidara's fist.
Both leaned in glaring at each others eyes. Deidara brought her head back and smacked it hard against Sakura's making her fall back. She sat up and felt her forehead, bringing her hand down and staring at the crimson blood on her hand.
She looked up to see Deidara with blood running down her face as well. Sakura got up and ran at Deidara bringing her leg up and kicking at her. She brought her arms up and blocked the kick and then grabbed onto Sakura's leg and swung her to the side and let her go flying.
Sakura felt her hit something but then arms wrapped around her. She looked up seeing Gaara holding her and then she looked over and saw Hinata and Naruto. She gazed back at Deidara to see Sasori standing between Deidara and Sakura.
Deidara stared at him for awhile before her evil smile graced her lips, "Well hello there Sasori-danna. In my way I see, if you would be so kind as to move" her stare turned into a glare. The clay birds flew back to her and formed her sword.
Sasori said nothing and pulled out his sword and looked over at her. "Don't even bother to defend Deidara; you know I can beat you easy." He said in his uncaring voice.
Deidara glared at him her eyes turning her icy blue once again, her grip tightening as she yelled at him, "I'd like you see you try Sasori-danna! I am just as good as you and you know it!" she went wide eyed after her child like episode and her eyes turned back to their tinted yellow color.
Sasori stared at her almost in disbelief, hearing her child like tantrum in this state? Deidara looked around and then faced back at Sasori trying to force herself to charge at him.
"Another time Captain's I must return to my master" she said with a scowling face. She disappeared as soon as she had come and they all waited to see if it was a trap.
When a good ten minutes had gone by Sasori sheathed his sword and looked over at Gaara and Sakura. There was a silence between all of them before Sasori turned around and headed back to his own house.
Sasori walked down the empty dusk streets just thinking, this master who on earth could it possibly be. He looked back into his memories to try and see who on earth it could possibly be.
Flashback . . .
Sasori sat under a large cherry blossom tree eating from a bento box. He sighed as he looked up at the sky, he was exhausted from training. He bit into a rice ball and looked down the hill he was on top of. There the girl that practically stalked him. It was her and a few of the members from the 11th squad.
'What is she doing?' he wondered to himself. 'I heard she actually talked to her zanpakuto, I wonder if she is training with releasing it'
Deidara pulled out her sword as the other Shinigami pulled theirs out. 'She can't take on 5 members from the 11th squad by herself' Sasori huffed and continued watching. He stopped eating he looked behind him, "Oh crap!" he went wide eyed and grabbed his zanpakuto and jumped down the hill as a giant hallow hand crashed down on the tree.
He landed in front of them and looked up to see the giant hollow. "Sasori are you alright?!" Deidara said from right beside him.
"I'm fine," he replied looking up at the hollow once again.
"That thing is huge" she said breathlessly.
"Hey you 11th squad guys back off I haven't had a chance to try out my released form on a hollow" Sasori smirked and pulled his sword out of his sheath and tossing it to the side.
"Control, Sutoringusu" he said as his sword disappeared only leaving the hilt behind. Deidara blinked and watched closely wanting to see what his released state was.
Sasori held his hand out and stretched out his five fingers a bit and swiped them across the area where the hollow was. Gashes were scraped across the front of the thing making both Deidara and the squad 11 members go wide eyed.
"Wow, that's amazing Sasori!" Deidara cheered and smiled brightly. "Let me show you mine!" she said just as eagerly and running beside him.
Sasori looked to the side and saw her hold her hand over the blade, "Soar, Nendokinchou!" she called out and the sword broke into many birds. "Fly forth Nendokinchou!" she commanded and they all shot forward exploding on impact.
Deidara fell to the side when she saw the hollow get up from being knocked down. "How can it still move?!" she asked aloud.
"You have to destroy the mask," Sasori sighed and made some swift hand motions and the mask was sliced into pieces and fell off. The hollow disappeared soon after the mask.
Sasori's sword formed again as did Deidara's, he walked over to where he threw his sheath and picked it up and then sheathed it.
"Wow Sasori you're amazing I can't believe you're so strong and at the academy level!" Deidara smiled and cheered for the red head.
Sasori just looked at her and then turned away. "Yeah thanks . . . you didn't do to bad yourself" he mumbled the last part avoiding her astonished gaze.
Deidara blinked and tilted her head to the side and looked at him oddly. She walked up closer to him looking up. She reached her hand up and placed her hand on his forehead. "Are you ok Sasori? Because you do know you just complimented me, right?" she asked looking into his brown eyes.
Sasori brushed her hand away and turned around. "I was merely stating you did adequate don't look too much into it" he huffed.
Deidara smiled a bit and hugged him from behind. Sasori froze and look back at her. "Well, it just made my day, thanks Sasori" she said releasing him and running off.
Sasori just stood there staring after her in, well to admit it, shock. The 11th squad members all suppressed their laughter and walked past him, one patting him on the back. "Good luck with her, boy" he said before they were all ahead of him.
Sasori scowled slightly red and turned around, "I do not like that annoying girl" he practically yelled at them.
End of Flashback. . .
Sasori sighed opening the front door. There was a servant waiting for him and he tossed his Captain's cloak and sword at her completely lost in thought. He was a Captain this sort of stuff shouldn't be hard. Killing people without regret shouldn't be hard. Having to face someone you knew and maybe even loved wasn't supposed to be hard. That's why he was a Captain he could handle this type of stuff.
So why wasn't he handling it, there were so many moments, so many times when he could have killed her. Made her into nothing with his own sword and yet, she was still alive and nowhere to be found.
"Akasuna-teichou," a voice broke his train of thought as he looked up and saw another servant. He remained quite waiting for them to continue.
"Akasuna-teichou is it really true about Deidara-teichou?" she asked.
Sasori felt his muscles tighten at the sound of her name, "Yes," he said simply and walked past her.
"Bring me some tea I must clear my thoughts" he ordered as he slide open the door to his meditation room.
-
Naruto, Hinata, and Neji sat at a table drinking tea and eating rice balls. "How are we ever going to get Deidara back to normal?" Hinata asked quietly as she rests her hands in her lap.
"I really don't know," Naruto sighed as he leaned back on both his hands.
"Well, you told Shikamaru about it, I am sure he will find out a way to get her back to normal. If what you say is true then she is being controlled or more like brainwashed" Neji said to the two.
Naruto lay down completely now with his hands behind his head. H stared at the ceiling and closed his eyes. Drowning out the sounds of Hinata and Neji in their conversations he dozed off.
Flashback. . .
Naruto awaited eagerly in a room beside the office of the 3rd Captain. This was his first day as the lieutenant for the 3rd squad. What an honor he was hand selected but the Captain himself. Someone Naruto had looked up too in his days at the academy.
The door opened and Naruto stood up straight seeing the 7th Captain come out followed by one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. The Captain of the 11th division, Akasuna Deidara, only recently married to Akasuna Sasori.
After the two left Naruto walked into the office and looked at the Captain who was sitting at a desk with his head in folded hands. "Sabaku-teichou?" Naruto called softly.
Gaara sat up and looked at Naruto, "Oh yes, Naruto. I know this is your first day as lieutenant but I already have a job for you. Deidara-teichou needs someone to accompany her on a mission and her lieutenant is bust at this moment. I thought this might be a good time to get you into the field"
Naruto blinked and then leaned back a bit, "Oh course teichou" Naruto said grinning and rubbing the back of his head. "This an honor to be working already, although I'm a little disappointed I don't get to do something with you, your like the best Captain" he said.
Gaara looked at him for a bit before replying, "Ooook, well anyway she asked me to have you meet her at the Akasuna house in 30 minutes" he said before getting back to work on some paper work.
Naruto bowed and left the room deciding he would need these 30 minutes just to find the place. There were so many clan he didn't know how he would ever find it. AT first he wandered around aimlessly just looking at the different housing's in the area.
About 10 minutes later he gave up, he must have walked everywhere and he had passed the Hyuuga estate about 4 times. He walked up to door and knocked loudly on it and began waiting.
The door slide open to reveal a beautiful girl with a white Captain's cloak on. She was even prettier then Deidara-teichou. "M-may I help you?" she asked shyly hiding half her face behind the door.
Naruto smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I'm trying to find Akasuna-teichou's house. Could you please point me in the right direction?" he asked.
Hinata nodded, "It would really b-be easier I-if I showed y-you" she mumbled as she grabbed her sword and tied her shoes on.
"Thanks so much!" he said happily waiting for her as she came out. She began walking with Naruto close beside her. He looked at her back seeing the symbol for the fourth division. 'So this is the Medic's Captain' he said to himself.
They walked and walked, he was even about to say something until he heard in her shaky voice, "Here it is," she said pointing toward a large house at the end of the walkway.
"Thank you so much," Naruto bowed to her and ran ahead. "Oh what's your name teichou?" he called over his shoulder.
"H-Hinata," she said trying to be loud.
Naruto smiled hearing her name and waved back.
There was a huge blush on the Captain's face as she turned around and headed back for her own house. Naruto slide to a stop in front of the house noting the fact he was now five minutes late. Thinking it wouldn't be a big deal, but oh was he wrong.
"You were supposed to be here five minutes ago," the red headed Captain glared at the blonde. Naruto sweat dropped and tried to keep a distance between him and the Captain. "I don't like to be kept waiting," he said harshly, which confused him to no end.
"Oi Sasori-danna I told you to leave you didn't have to wait for me you know you did that of your own, don't scare the poor kid it's his first day" the blonde huffed pulling back on his Captain's cloak.
"You'll make him have a heart attack, so chill" she hit him on the top of the head getting a glare in return. "Sorry about that," Deidara smiled at Naruto shoving Sasori aside. "Sasori-danna is very impatient and he has a meeting to go to and said he wouldn't leave till I did but he has "issues"" she laughed and waved to the angry red head before leaving.
Naruto followed her out and was truly and utterly confused. "So ugh Deidara-teichou what exactly do you need me for?" he asked.
Deidara turned to the side to look at him and continued walking. "We have to go to the real world some weird stuff has been happening down there, I wouldn't need anyone but I have a seal place on me. So you never know," she smiled back at him.
They came up to giant white doors and Deidara turned back to Naruto and tossed him a cell phone. "Just incase we need our seals removed we have to get clearance, and Squad 12 is on speed dial" she told him.
The door started to slowly open and Deidara turned back around to look at them, "Well we best be off" she said happily.
Naruto followed the Captain as they walked through the doors and into a long dark hall type place. There was a blinding light and then Naruto looked around too see that Deidara and himself were in a green forest.
Deidara pulled out her own decorated phone and flipped it open looking at it. "Alright what ever is happening here is only in this one spot and its close by" she told him closing it and placing it back in her Shinigami clothes.
"Come on let's hurry and get this over with, I hate coming to the real world" she laughed and started walking forward.
"So Deidara-teichou . . . being married to Akasuna-teichou must be hard" Naruto laughed placing his hands behind his head once again.
Deidara laughed and looked beside her and shook her head, "Not really it's more like a dream come true, I have like Sasori-danna since I first started at the academy. It was an arranged marriage sure but still I couldn't be happier" she told the blonde lieutenant.
"On and Naruto just call me Deidara"
Naruto blinked and smiled, "Sure"
They both laughed and continued walking through the green forest. Deidara stopped and looked around. "That reiatsu its way too big to be a normal hollow" she looked over at Naruto and then around.
Naruto pulled out an ear piece and called the 12th division, he handed the phone to Deidara and she waited, "Hello?"
"This is Akasuna Deidara, Captain of the 11th division; I need clearance for the removal of bindings for me and Uzumaki Naruto, Lieutenant for the 3rd division. There is a reiatsu here that is far from hollow"
"Of course teichou we will have clearance as soon as possible"
Naruto put the ear piece and him and Deidara quickly approached the area where the reiatsu only grew. Deidara peered from behind a tree to see a woman with blue hair and a white flower resting upon them.
She looked closer and scowled, "I knew it . . . it's an Arrancar, Naruto you see that white flower that is the part of the mask that remains" she told him taking out the phone once again. "Seireitei I request the aid of the 6th Captain, please send her immediately" Deidara said before hanging up.
Naruto stared at the Captain and gave her a questioning look, "The 6th Captain? Who is the 6th Captain?"
Deidara smirked and gave him a pat on the head, "You will see soon enough, but even a Captain and a Lieutenant aren't enough to take on two Arrancar"
"But there is only one,"
"Ah Naruto this is where you learn a lesson Arrancar never are alone, I am not sure why but there has never been an instance where there has been only one. Besides aren't you interested in seeing the very person that has been chosen to marry your very own Captain" she had a devious smirk on her face seeing Naruto's astonished face.
"A woman that was good enough to marry Sabaku-teichou?" Naruto asked. Deidara nodded and then looked back to the Arrancar.
"Now Naruto the clearance shouldn't take too long to get, so right now we will both attack. We won't have to worry about our back-up; because of the situation she won't have a binding on her. Don't loose concentration the other one could be anywhere" she pulled out her sword and smiled as Naruto drew his.
Both Naruto and Deidara jumped out making the Arrancar jump with shock but she smirked and pulled out a sword blocking Deidara's sword. Naruto swung to the side and the woman just barely jumped out of the way.
"I would think a Captain would be stronger, that is what the white is for is it not?" she smirked.
Deidara matched her grin and waved her hand, "You'd think wouldn't you" was all she said before dropping down and kick down sweeping her off her feet. She flipped back and tried to regain her balance.
"Teichou we have it!" Naruto called.
"Sweet" Deidara snickered and pulled her sleeve up and on the inside of her wrist was a symbol.
One appeared on Naruto's neck and they began glowing, "Binding release!" they both yelled and the mark disappeared.
Deidara shot forward fast then before cutting down on the Arrancar's arm. "What on earth?!" she said wide eyed.
"Oh you didn't know Captain's and Lieutenant's have seals placed on them before we go into the real world. Ours was just taken off, you were only fight 10 of our power" she laughed and ran her sword through the blue haired woman.
An evil smirk appeared on her face as she grabbed Deidara's sword and held it in her as a man with orange hair and peircing's all over his face jumped out and came down at Deidara. Naruto ran and blocked the sword before it hit her.
"I don't think so," Naruto smiled pushing him back and causing hi m to crash into a tree.
Deidara turned back to the woman and smiled for her, "Aw what ever will I do now that you have a hold of my sword? Oh that's right,"
"Soar, Nendokinchou!"
The sword dispersed into hundreds of small birds. Deidara flipped back and sent the mini explosions forward at her. The woman pulled her sword back and tore it across the air making a black opening.
"You've got to be kidding . . ." Deidara went wide eyed seeing all the hollows in the opening. The jumped out but not at her, she looked over to see Naruto and the other Arrancar fighting.
"No, Naruto!" Deidara yelled and ran over grabbing the back off his shirt and pulling him away and throwing him off a bit. She brought up her arms feeling the hollows smash her against a tree. They jumped back and Deidara slumped to the ground unconscious.
"Teichou!" Naruto went wide eyed and ran to stand in front of her with his sword in hand.
"The poor boy thinks he can stand up to the both of us all by himself, a Captain couldn't beat us what makes you think you can?!" the woman laughed as both her and the man ran at him.
Naruto stood firm and got ready to defend when the white Captain's cloak flew in front of his face. He looked at the 6th division symbol on the back and a bit up was the color of cherry blossoms.
He saw the Captain stopping both Arrancar with two swords with a pink glow. "You are Uzumaki Naruto, correct?" her angelic voice rang through his ears.
"Um yeah,"
"Good to meet you, I am Haruno Sakura, the Captain of the 6th division" she smiled back at him and then cherry blossoms flew towards the two Arrancar. They jumped back and glared at Sakura.
"You win this time Shinigami but you haven't seen the last of us," they said as the black world closed behind them.
Sakura sighed and all the cherry blossoms flew back to her and formed a solid sword. She slide it back into her sheath and turned fully around looking at Naruto and Deidara.
Sakura bent down and placed her hand on Deidara's face and felt around to make sure she was alright. "She's going to be alright isn't she?" Naruto asked getting a stare from this beautiful woman.
"Who Dei? Of course she is, she's only unconscious" she gave him a warm smile. She took her sheathed sword out from it place and cleared her throat.
"DEI! WAKE UP!!!" she yelled as she began whacking Deidara on the head. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" Sakura smiled and laughed.
Suddenly Deidara stood up punching Sakura in the face and sending her off into a tree. "ARE YOU FREAKIN MENTALLY ILL?!?" the blonde glared over.
"Of course I am!" Sakura clapped happily as she stood up and dusted herself off.
"Your freakin insane,"
"And you aren't?" Sakura rose a slender eyebrow.
Naruto sweat dropped and just rubbed the back of his head. 'What a day' he thought while laughing a bit. He opened his eyes to see both Sakura and Deidara in his face. "Um yes?" he asked sweat dropping even more.
"You are the CUTEST lieutenant EVER!" Sakura squealed hugging him. "I just wanna squeeze you till you pop!!" she shook him around with her.
"Um thanks?" Naruto looked around wishing someone would save him.
"And Sakura he's Gaara's lieutenant" Deidara smirked nodding as Sakura looked at her asking if she was joking.
"AWWW YES!! WHAT LUCK I HAVE!" she yelled hugging him more.
Naruto just took it and sighed, 'What a day indeed'
End of Flashback. . .
Naruto sighed as he opened his eyes to still hear Hinata and Neji talking. There was no way Deidara could have really been evil, he had known her for a long time and someone that funny and nice could never be evil. It just wasn't possible for her; she loved everyone and would gladly give her life up for anyone.
Naruto turned his head to the side and looked out the open door. They had to find a way to get Deidara back to normal. Killing her would not be an option, no matter what Sakura could never kill her, they were best friends. Sakura wouldn't let Gaara do it. And Sasori. . .
He couldn't even bring himself to harm her much less kill her. Or so Naruto thought and he knew he couldn't kill her, she was his friend not to mention she risked her life for him many times as he did her.
'But how?' Naruto thought to himself, 'How will we save her?'