The group made it to the outskirts of the forest at about dusk. Crickets chirped inconspicuously from the undersides of leafs as they breasted the deep thicket. Deidara gazed up at one of the watchers of the wood, stroking the gnarled tree delicately.
"These trees are huge, un!" He gazed up again, but was brought back to reality by Bushio.
"Well, I say let's stay here for the night. We can push on again tomorrow." He spread a blanket over the ground, leaving it to pick up firewood. Deidara took one last glance at the trees before helping him. He stooped to pick a branch up when he noticed two sparkles coming from the trees. No sooner had he seen them did he hear the soft thuft. He glanced down, noticing the dart sticking from his arm. He pulled it out, touching the tip as he felt his head get heavy.
"Hey...you guys...I think someone...is...here...un..." He sighed, falling to the ground. Yoko looked up from where she sat, noticing the boy on the ground.
"Hey Deidara! Don't be lying around! Come on, gather wood! I'm trying to make dinner here!" After not getting a response, she rolled her eyes, walking over to where he lay. She got down, picking him up by an arm...before feeling the sting of another dart lodged in her leg. She pried it out, nodding her head as her eyes drooped...then fainted away. Bushio was just picking up another limb when he heard the thud of her hitting the ground. He looked up, and a dart buried itself in his neck. He yanked it out, taking a few steps forward.
"Bas...basturd..." His legs became wobbly, and he toppled over. The Chunin jumped out of the tree, snickering.
"Hehehe...so, looks like I got a few more. The Tsuchikage is going to love me. That makes 18 I've hit so far. A new record I think. Well, just get these sleeping beauties into the cover and wait for more!" With that, he grabbed Yoko's arm, hauling her roughly over his shoulder. "Damn...this girl feels like a bag of rocks!" He walked a few steps, then halted, feeling his shoulder. He turned his head, his eyes wide. He dropped the bag of rocks on the ground as he turned fully, glancing around.
"Huh...a replacement jutsu. So, these kids knew I was here, eh?" He ducked to the right as three kunai flew in. A kunai in his own hand, he blocked two more, dodging to the left and chucking his weapons where the assailant had thrown. He waited, and heard a moan of anguish. He smiled, walking to the spot. Yoko lay on the ground, holding a hand to her bleeding leg.
"Hehehe...thought you would outsmart me, eh? Well, two can play at that!" He bent over to finish the girl off with a drugged dart when she smiled sweetly at him.
"Who got who, Mr. Smarty?" With that, she poofed, being replaced by another bag of rocks. The Chunin clucked his teeth, getting to his feet once more.
"These kids have spunk, that's for sure!" He turned, dodging and ducking to get back into the safety of the trees. Having gained the first grove, he hopped into his hiding place, looking down.
"Hey...what are we waiting for?" The Chunin smiled.
"Some kids think they'll beat me...but I got 'em licked!" He heard a snigger behind him, and turned his head sharply to the left.
"You mean, kids like us?" All three stood in the boughs, gazing down at him. The Chunin balked, jumping from the tree and tossing kunai into it. The three broke rank, jumping out at random intervals to escape the projectiles. Deidara brought his hands up.
"...Boom..." The ground underneath the Chunin exploded, and he was sent flying through the air. He rolled on the ground, coming to a stop and looking up. The ground to his right exploded, sending him sprawling to the left. Another bomb exploded a little out of arm's length, and he flipped along the ground. When he settled, Deidara glanced over at Yoko. "Be my guest!" Yoko grinned, throwing a kunai. The Chunin had time to look up before seeing the kunai fly over his head, slicing through a rope that was attached to a snare at the base of the tree he lay under. He felt something slip over his leg, snagging him and sending him flying into the air. There, he dangled, a grimace on his face.
"Yeah...I saw you take out some others when I scouted ahead earlier. I knew that you were probably the only guard here, because you used tactics meant to hide your presence. Someone like that wouldn't want an open conflict, because damage would add up through each fight. Sensible...but foolish at the same time," Bushio explained, staring up at the Chunin. He scowled.
"Yeah yeah yeah...so what?" A kunai fell from his pocket, and he snatched it, slashing the rope and falling to the ground, feet first. He stood, smiling at them as he brandished his kunai.
"Now whatcha gonna do, huh? Whatcha...gonna...hey, my head...it feels...what..." He swayed back and forth, holding his head as the images of the three Genin melded and flipped. Yoko smiled.
"That was my idea. When you were busy with that first kunai attack, I took the liberty of snatching some of those darts you use. You just fell on them...which, by the way, should really hurt. I don't know why you aren't "hopping" mad...hehehe." She giggled as the Chunin examined his foot, turning it so he could plainly see the two darts sticking from it.
"You...you did..." he stammered, and then fell heavily to the ground. Deidara smiled, looking up at Bushio.
"Good plan, Bushio, un!" Yoko turned, smiling.
"Yeah, Bushio-kun! That was wonderful!" Bushio grinned, turning his head.
"It was easy. Come on, let's put this guy away somewhere," he said. The other two nodded, and together, the three hauled the Chunin to the deeply vegetated forest, leaving him in a pile. They returned to the fire, where Bushio warmed his hands and threw more wood on it.
"It was a good thing you saw that guy before, Bushio, un!" Deidara grinned, poking the fire with a stick. Bushio smirked.
"Yeah, well...any good shinobi would have seen that trap a mile away. It was too obvious a place for an ambush." Yoko put a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it.
"Great job, Bushio-kun..." she said. He glanced sideways at her.
"Yoko..." She stared into his eyes, deeply and longingly.
"Yes...Bushio-kun?" He took his hand, grabbing hers.
"Don't do that," he said, letting her hand go. She sighed, going to the other edge of the fire and sitting with her knees propped up. She gazed into the fire, as if she could read something from it.
"We should get some sleep. Tomorrow we have to get through this damn forest," Bushio said, turning to gaze at the trees. Deidara nodded, laying back.
"Alright...good night, un!" A stick bounced off his head, and he sat up with a cry of surprise, rubbing the spot.
"Dobe! You're on first watch! Wake Yoko up for the second watch, and she can wake me up for last watch. Now...good night yourself," Bushio said, laying back. Yoko yawned, laying down and closing her eyes. Deidara looked at them both, and contented himself with poking the fire.
"...That's not fair, un..."
The moon had risen high into the night sky as Deidara stood up, yawning and shaking himself. He would give Yoko another hour or so before waking her to take over.
"So...you guys having fun yet?" Deidara whirled, kunai in hand. He smiled as Tazuriko walked out of a bush, smiling at him.
"Tazuriko-sensai...you startled me, un!" Deidara put his kunai back in his pocket, sitting down at the fire again. Tazuriko walked to the flame, hunching down and warming himself.
"You guys took out two Chunin already, huh? Well done," he said. Deidara nodded, a grin plastered on his face.
"I took out the first one...well, basically. It was Bushio's plan that took the second one out." Tazuriko nodded. Bushio always had a good head on his shoulders...when he bothers to use it, he thought. Standing, he surveyed the scene.
"So, how do you think you're doing?" Deidara shrugged.
"We've gotten to the forest...that's pretty good, right?" Tazuriko nodded, walking away.
"Well, I have to bring the Chunin back for recovery," he said. Before he entered the forest, however, he turned, eyeing Deidara levelly. "By the way, Deidara. Don't let your team be broken up." Deidara eyed him, wonder in his gaze.
"Broken up? Why would I do that?" Tazuriko smiled, turning.
"Just...just don't let it happen, alright? Keep everyone together...I'm not supposed to be telling you this, but...well, just do it anyways, alright?" He put a hand up. "See ya!" With that, he disappeared into the thick forest, leaving the three alone by the fire. Deidara scratched his head.
"Keep us together? Why would he tell me to do that, un? Didn't Tsuchikage-sama tell us that teams didn't need to stay together? Funny, un." He yawned again, hoping that the light of day would shed some light on the subject. He gazed up at the moon, smiling at the iridescent light that shone from it.
"The moon is so bright tonight, un..."
What the hell is Tazuriko saying? I don't really know! You'll have to find out, next time on Deidara's Story: The Early Years! Next Chapter...The Base Of The Summit! KYA!