The two hours given to Deidara and Junio finally came to a close. Deidara sighed, placing the rice ball he had just plucked back down on the plate and striding to the door. He smiled as the sun hit his face, illuminating the darkness from the room.
"The two hours are up! Please come to the arena and prepare for your match! Junio and Deidara, please enter the arena now!" The Examiner was shouting up at the room, more for the benefit of the crowd than for the competitors, who had a Jounin give them their two minute warning. Sighing once more, Deidara descended down into the arena, looking around for the other boy. For some reason, Junio hadn't joined him long in the waiting room. He had left, possibly to be by himself before the match began. It had suited the younger boy, who wished to eat in peace without someone hurling hateful glances at him.
Finally arriving at the arena floor, Deidara turned, gazing around at the crowd that was going berserk. Had he seen himself, he would have scolded his counterpart for blushing so brightly. Throwing his hands up to wave at the crowd, Deidara smiled wide, allowing the tongues on his hands to flap out. "Alright, this is it, un! My chance to show that creep how to really fight!" He had worked...nay, slaved for a week solid for this day to arrive. Now, when it finally did, he felt himself more prepared than he had ever felt before.
"Good...you didn't leave. It makes this so much easier on me." Deidara grimaced, turning to see Junio staring wildly at him from a few feet away. The Examiner noted both boys in the arena, nodding and staring up at the Tsuchikage, who smiled down. Raising both hands, the Tsuchikage got silence from the crowd so as to address them.
"My friends! This is the moment everyone has waited for! The final match between two elite Genin, for why else would they stand there if they were not the best of the best? Let us pay homage one last time and give them both a round of applause!" As the old man began clapping, so did every person sitting in the arena. The noise rose to a deafening cacophony of sound as the arena resounded. Deidara found it hard not to throw his hands to his ears to drown out the noise. Junio stood gamely on, watching the people clapping.
"Fools...all of them. Well, at least one of them will be dead before the sun sets." Turning his gaze back to Deidara, he smiled. "Weakling. You will join your friend before this day is through!" The Examiner turned back to the boys, arms open.
"You both know the rules, so I won't repeat them. However..." and he turned to Junio. "However, I want it perfectly clear that in the case of forfeit or one-sidedness, this match is over. I get the final call. Do you both understand me?" The two boys nodded, eying one another. The Examiner sighed, putting his hands up into the air. "Very well. Let the final match of the Chunin Exams...BEGIN!" He dropped his hands, and the match between Deidara and Junio began in earnest.
Up in the crowd, Yanoi watched. The man on her left snickered, turning an eye to the girl. "Say...you wouldn't want to make that bet one thousand, would you?" The girl looked at him for a moment, than dug in her pockets, pulling her money out and counting it. As luck would have it, she did have a little over one thousand yen in her pocket, money saved up through a lifetime of allowances and odd jobs around the neighborhood. She held the money close to her, treasuring the effort taken to gain it. Then, turning back, she smiled.
"Sure. One thousand it is. Still four-to-one odds against Deidara?" The man smiled, nodding his head.
"Yes, I will still give you four-to-one odds. That will mean four thousand yen if the boy wins. However, after seeing that other kid in action in the last match," and then he turned back to the arena. "It will be lucky for that Deidara boy to get out of this one alive and in one piece." He snickered again, slightly. Yanoi sneered behind his back.
"Don't worry. My Deidara-kun won't lose. Not in a lifetime!"
"So...which arm should I take first? Your left one? Maybe your right? Should I start with a leg? I want to save your head for last! That way, you'll feel every, delightful minute of it!" Junio smiled, his feline smile glinting in the noon day sun. Deidara was already hard at work, molding his chakra into the clay that his hands were eating.
"Not this time, Junio! This time, you'll pay, un!" He brought his hands out, allowing them to fold the clay in and out, making it pliable. Grasping his sword, Junio smiled back.
"I don't think so. I'll stop you from doing anything. Then, I'll kill you slowly...little by little. HA!" He shot forward like an arrow, his sword ready to slice down. However, he had given Deidara to much time, allowing him to create four small doves, each packed full of explosive chakra. Throwing his hands out, he flung the birds at the attacking boy. Junio stopped dead, jumping backwards slightly and ripping the birds to shreds as they flew through the air. He caught himself, stopping and glaring at the boy in front of him.
"Was that it? Birds? Was that all you had to offer me?" Regaining his balance, he shot off again, his sword at the ready. "I'll cut you down!" Hopping to the side, Deidara dodged the initial attack. He flipped, dodging the return slice that would have cut him in half. Dodging to the right to avoid a stab, he lashed out with his foot, kicking his adversary in the stomach and winding him for a moment. That was enough time to get his bearings, hopping onto a boulder and peering down at his foe.
"Was that it? A sword? Was that all you had to offer me, un?" Deidara gloated, using the same voice pattern that the other boy had just used. Junio sneered.
"Ninjutsu Arts: Whirling Scythe Blade Jutsu!" Junio lashed out, the waves of deadly chakra ripping through the boulder. Deidara hopped cleanly off, catching himself on the wall and dropping to the ground. Having created his bird once more, he flung it to the right, hopping up and over as he created his hand-signs and landing on its back as it appeared. Taking a running start, the bird swiftly rose into the air, leaving Junio behind. "You...you won't get away!" The boy, taking what he knew from the previous matches that Deidara had been in, began hopping his way to the top floor, landing with grace on the roof and watching the younger boy circling the arena.
"Bombs away!" Letting fly with his chakra bombs, he began dropping clay worms down. Seeing this, Junio began a mad scramble along the roof, avoiding the worms as they dropped to his level and exploded. The roof was alive with smoke and debris as Junio nimbly skipped, hopped, and leaped his way out of danger. After the projectiles stopped falling, Junio glared upwards. Putting his sword behind him, he began channeling chakra into it.
"Ninjutsu Arts: Whirling Scythe Blade Jutsu!" He lashed out, sending another set of chakra hurtling upward. Deidara sent his creation into a dizzying spin upwards, just out of reach of the waves. When he had appeared above the clouds, looking down through a small hole at the arena, he sat down, pondering.
"Hmm...what to do now. What to do." He was still puzzling as another wave of chakra followed. The bird dodged instinctively, twisting to the right and allowing the wave to pass. Again and again waves of chakra began flying skyward, and Deidara was kept on edge trying to dodge each one. As the sixth wave flew his way, he thought of a clever plan to defeat Junio using his own technique.
"What is he doing up there? Isn't he going to fight me?" Junio reared back, unleashing yet another wave up into the sky. As the Whirling Scythe Blade Jutsu didn't release to much chakra at once, he could keep up the attack for much longer than it would seem. He would just hope to get lucky. If Deidara flew to far away, the Examiner would have to call the match. Junio would win, and kill him later when he found him. However, as the seventh wave dissipated, he stared up into the sky with glee. The bird seemed to be hit, spiraling out of control towards the ground. On it lay Deidara, seemingly out cold. Junio smiled with anticipation, hopping back down as the bird entered the arena, crashing into the ground and lying with Deidara still attached. Junio smiled as he began stalking his prey, being sure that the boy had really fallen senseless to the ground. When he was quite sure of the outcome, he began to swagger, walking up to the prone figure.
"This is where it ends. I will send you to the gates of hell now. Farewell!" His sword reared up, and he laughed maniacally as he lowered it, intending to cut the blond boy's head from his shoulders.
"Explode!" The sword, a fraction of the way from the figure on the ground, flew from Junio's hand as bird and boy exploded delightfully, sending him flying backwards and making him collide with the arena wall. He hit the ground on one knee, coughing and sputtering as he looked on with rage, watching as Deidara hopped back down into the arena.
"You...but how?" Deidara grinned, picking up Junio's sword and holding it with one hand as a prop to lean on.
"I've gotten really good at falling, couldn't you tell? I just hopped off the bird as it neared the arena, landed on the roof after making a copy of myself, and let my bird hit the ground. Shame to let something so artistic go. But, after all, the explosion is what counts, right, un?" He grinned, his lopsided smile further causing Junio to become infuriated. Standing, Junio began walking towards Deidara, his face a mask of evil intent.
"You...you've made fun of me. You've made a fool of me! You and your damned partner. But you'll pay. You'll both pay!" He began running full tilt, Deidara still standing with the sword.
"How will I pay? I've got your sword, un!" Deidara lifted the heavy blade, putting it in front of him as he had seen Junio do.
"You think you've got it figured out?" He put his hands up, forming hand-seals.
"Sword Technique: Reclamation Jutsu!" He stretched out a hand, and the sword flew from Deidara's grasp, flipping in the air and turning hilt first towards Junio, who grabbed it with outstretched hand. He leapt into the air, bringing the sword crashing to the earth in front of a very surprised Deidara, who hopped backwards, attempting to avoid the attack. The end of the sword cleaved a wound down Deidara's chest, making him stumble and fall momentarily. He gazed down at the blood welling from the wound, looking up and eying Junio with disdain.
"How? How did you do that?" Junio laughed, turning the sword pommel side up.
"This blade is infused with a seal. I contain the other half of this seal on my hand. When I use the Reclamation jutsu, it forces the sword back into my hands. Now, onto business!" Grasping the sword, he ran full tilt at the boy on the ground. Deidara grimaced, throwing a few small explosive worms in front of him. They exploded, creating a small cloud of dust and smoke that blocked the other boys vision momentarily. Cleaving this way and that, Junio soon rid himself of the cloud, looking around the arena.
"Deidara! Come out, you coward! Face me! Die like a man!" He began racing around the arena, his eyes shining with the light of madness. When he couldn't locate the other boy, he began destroying the arena, using his Whirling Scythe Blade Jutsu to crush the boulders and crumble the pillars. "Not above...not around...perhaps underneath?" He held his blade out lengthwise, again pushing chakra into it. "Sword Technique: Crushing Blade of Destiny Jutsu!" Throwing his blade up, he smashed it down into the earth, creating a rift that spanned the entirety of the arena. The crowd cheered loudly at the use of the jutsu, some staring wide eyed as Junio began searching the rift for his elusive prey.
"I wasn't in the ground...but good try, un!" Junio gasped, whirling as Deidara stepped out from behind a loose assortment of rocks. Junio smiled, bringing his sword back and rushing headlong at the boy. Deidara jumped to the side, attempting to avoid the slash. However, Junio had been expecting him to dodge, so instead of chopping straight down, he flashed across, catching the boy on the arm and ripping a gash down it. Deidara inhaled sharply, staggering backwards and leaning against the ruined remains of a boulder.
"Damn...he got me." Thinking quickly, he side-stepped, hopping backwards as Junio destroyed the remains of the rubble. Turning his head, Junio sneered.
"I'm going to make mincemeat out of you. Then we'll see how you're able to dodge about like this!" He flew, sword upraised. Like two miniature dancers, they fought across the arena, Deidara barely ahead of the flashing blade. Ducking a sideways swing, Deidara launched himself into the air, looking down at the height of his jump and throwing down more of his clay worms. They landed, exploding on impact with the ground and disorienting Junio slightly. However, his surprise wasn't long, and he quickly began a new attack, barely missing Deidara's nose as his sword sliced downwards. Seizing an opportunity, Deidara thrust out with his palm, catching Junio off guard and sending him backwards. Finding his feet on the ground, Junio reared up, throwing his sword like a spear. Deidara felt the sword swoosh by, barely missing losing an ear. He side-stepped, his hands already at work with more clay.
"Have to make this work while he has no sword." He was still hard at work as Junio flew across to him, smashing him in the face and sending him flying back. Deidara hit the wall of the arena with a thump, hitting the ground and gasping for air.
"You didn't think that my sword was the best I had, did you? I'm also a master of Taijutsu! You'll wish you had never been conceived from your dirty mother's womb when I get through with you." He laughed, flying across the arena with his hand upraised to strike. However, the mention of his mother sent Deidara into a rage. Clay forgotten, still being chewed, he got up, flames dancing in his eyes as Junio's hand connected. However, the boy recoiled, grasping Junio's hand and crushing it with his own, iron grip.
"You...will never...talk about my mother...ever again!" He brought his head back, not allowing Junio any time to recover. His skull flew forward, crushing in on the boys face. Deidara let go, flying after the boy as he tumbled head over heels. As he came to a rest, Deidara grabbed his feet, swinging him up and flinging him like a rag doll across the arena. Junio's body crushed into the wall, leaving a indent where he hit. He flopped onto the ground, lying still. Deidara heaved, his body over-exerted. His hands trembled with the force of his attack, and he blinked several times to clear his watered vision. Suddenly, Junio stirred, shaking his head and picking himself off the ground. He stumbled for a moment, but caught himself, staring dangerously at the boy in front of him.
"You'll regret that, kid." He began running forward, hands behind him to give him the least amount of wind resistance. Deidara stood his ground, waiting for his attack. However, Junio began making hand-signs, throwing out his hand.
"Sword Technique: Reclamation Jutsu!" The sword quivered, than flew through the air, turning around and resting in the boy's hand as he continued running towards the figure in front of him. Deidara's right flew to his weapon's pouch as his left continued chewing. As the two met, a wind of whipping magnitude issued from their blades as they connected. Deidara strained valiantly against Junio's blade, willing himself to hold on for a moment longer. The light of determination and madness graced Junio's broken features, and he smiled as the sword lowered fractionally, inch by inch, towards the boys body.
"I'm going to cut you up...and then use your body for fish bait!" The sword lowered more, until it was almost touching the blond boy. Suddenly, Deidara's left hand flashed upward, catching the blade Junio held in his grasp. "What? What are you doing?" Deidara grunted as the sharp metal bit into his hand, but he did what he had planned on doing. He let himself fall, rolling sideways to avoid the blade, which grazed his leg as he nimbly escaped worse damage. He felt the pain from the wound like a shot, stifling his cry. Still on the ground, he threw his hands together.
"Explode!" Junio, still staring at the clay that wrapped his blade, gasped as the bond exploded, sending shards of broken metal flying into the boy's body. Deidara struck out, ricocheting a hunk of metal flying at him away. Junio lay on the ground, staring up at the hilt of his broken sword. A tear crept down his face, to be replaced by a mask of pure hatred and fury.
"You...you broke my sword. You son of a bitch!" Getting to his feet, he heaved, staring over at the boy. "You bastard! How dare you break my sword! How dare you!" Deidara grinned impudently, staring down at the shards of steel that littered the ground.
"Well, so much for taking me a part a little at a time, un." Looking up, his eyes widened. In front of him, Junio had his shirt removed, the crystals beginning to glow brightly in the sun. The white crystal began glowing first, dimly in the beginning, but picking up in magnitude.
"Fitting that you should die like this. After all, I killed your stupid teammate like this, after all!" The red crystal began glowing, and Deidara grimaced.
"Have to stop this before it's to late, un!" He reached for more clay, bringing it out and feeding his hands. As the hunk of material lay in his palm, he looked up. Junio stood, his eyes closed as his face was turned into the sun, taking in its warm rays.
"Feels...feels so good! You'll love the heat! Like a desert!" The final crystal began glowing as Deidara molded his clay. Bringing his head down, Junio had no more pleasure on his face. It was replaced by righteous indignation...and anger.
"You won't see tomorrow. And after you die, I will find your friend. He'll be next!" He put his hands together, forming hand-seals as fast as Deidara. "Secret Technique: Solar Orb of Containment Jutsu!" He threw his hands out, laughing maniacally as Deidara barely had time to release his creation onto the ground before being trapped in the ball of chakra and sunlight. He grimaced as he looked up, expecting the rays of the sun to begin frying him. However, he was granted a very brief respite as the sun was currently hidden by a small cloud. The wind was pushing it away, however. Soon, it would be out again, and the match would be over!
"Don't you see? This is over! You've lost! Now, you're going to pay the ultimate price!" Junio began to laugh once more as the Examiner walked over.
"Junio...release this jutsu at once! It has been ruled against, and is not allowed, since it is a killing jutsu!" Junio looked over, sneering.
"Fool! I will remove it...when his soul is removed from his body!" He began laughing again, and the Examiner glanced up at the Tsuchikage, who nodded slightly. From all around the arena, boos and hisses began pouring in. Instead of relenting, Junio fed off of the hatred, absorbing it like a sponge.
"Junio! This isn't over yet, un!" Junio looked over to where Deidara stood, still trapped.
"What do you mean, it isn't over yet? I've got you trapped. You'll never get out of there. You'll die just as your friend did. Isn't that nice?" He began laughing again as Deidara looked down, smiling slightly. His face held no fear.
"It isn't over yet. It is time for you to witness the power of my jutsu!" He brought his hands together, finishing the hand-seals. The clay in front of him became surrounded by a thick cloud of smoke and steam, and Junio gazed into it, his sick, sadistic smile on his face.
"Whatever you try, it won't work!" He laughed once more. However, his laugh soon took on a different voice. There, in front of the ball of chakra and wrapped around it like some sort of primeval ghost, a clay dragon sat, staring at him through cold, clay eyes. "What the...what the hell is that thing?" Junio took a step back as Deidara smiled at him.
"This is my newest creation, Junio. I call it...C2!" The dragon roared, whipping out with its tail and catching the other boy in the chest. With the one swing, it leveled the boy completely, flattening him on the wall. He hit the ground without another sound. As the sun peered out from behind the cloud, the jutsu was released, and Deidara landed on the tail of his beast. He gazed up lovingly at it. "Thank you, my friend. You were truly a life saver, un!" The dragon's eyes glistened, and it roared out into the afternoon. The crowd was shocked, no one saying anything. However, a shout from one side of the audience was heard.
"Way to go, Deidara-kun! You showed him!" Soon, the entire arena began to roar with applause, and Deidara basked in the glory. The Examiner stooped to examine the boy on the ground. He nodded to himself, turning and walking into the center of the arena.
"The match is over! The winner of the match, and the Chunin Exams, is Deidara!" The crowd began going ballistic, shouting themselves hoarse as Deidara smiled. He turned, shaking the Examiners hand. None saw Junio pick himself up from the rubble. None saw him draw the kunai. None saw the evil intent written on his face.
"You...you took away my victory!" He got up, catching his breath and flying across the arena, hand outstretched to kill the boy who was defenseless. He would have succeeded as well. However, the clay dragon turned, snapping the boy up in his jaws. Deidara, his reactions taking over, turned, sending the dragon airborne. Everyone in the arena watched as it spiraled over head, going to dizzying heights.
"This...is for Yoko!" He put his hands together one last time. "Explode!" The dragon roared out, then puffed up, exploding into millions of fragments. Deidara smiled up into the sky as the explosion rocked the arena. "That was for you, Yoko. And for you, Deko. And for you, Bushio. For everyone!" Then, Deidara collapsed, his body at its limits and his chakra completely gone. The Examiner stood for a moment, as if trying to decide what to do. The boy had lost an incredible amount of blood and chakra, and his body was torn up. Picking him from off the ground, he reverently began walking towards three medic nin that were rushing over.
"Good job, kid. You did it. I commend you." With those final words, the Examiner placed Deidara's unconscious form into the care of the medic's, sighing as they carried him off. Again, the Tsuchikage gained the attention of the crowd merely by standing and raising his hands.
"My friends! So ends the Chunin Exams. Please, stay for the celebration ceremony. It will happen tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the celebration happening outside the arena. All are free to join in!" The crowd again erupted into applause, and began filtering out of the arena.
"Well, I'll be. Seems as if the kid won, huh?" The merchants began talking amongst themselves.
"Yeah. My money was still on that kid, Deidara. Pay up, my friend." Grumbling, the merchant on the left handed his counterpart some cash. Even though it had cost him, the match was still good, so he didn't complain to much. Getting up, they began walking out of the arena.
"Hey! Where's my money? You promised me four thousand yen if Deidara won! Well, he won! So pay up!" Yanoi stood, completely outraged. The two men looked at one another, and the merchant on the left smiled.
"Little girl, what we did was a fool's wager. I don't wager with little girl's. Now, run along and play somewhere." They both began laughing, turning to leave.
"Hmm...I'm afraid you still have business here, my friend." They stopped, looking at the Jounin that blocked their path.
"Leave us alone! There's a celebration going on, and we can't be late. Move aside!" The one on the left began trying to muscle his way through. The Jounin, however, wasn't backing down. Swiftly, he picked the man up, holding him like a rag doll in the air as the merchant kicked out, swearing.
"I believe a bet is a bet. Please pay her what was promised. It would be quite bad fortune to take a fall from this height...unless you know how to land, that is." The merchant shuddered, looking at his colleague for help. The other man shook his head, motioning that his friend had gotten up over his head.
"He...hehe...well, I see your point. Very good." The Jounin turned the man around, so he faced Yanoi. "A thousand pardons, dear girl. Here you are." Reaching into his cloak, he pulled a bag of coins out, reaching out so Yanoi could grab them. "It's all there. Four-thousand yen. Now, please let go of me, sir." The Jounin sighed, letting the man go. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he took off at a run, leaving his friend to trail behind him. Yanoi gasped at the bundle, eying the paper notes and coins with glee.
"I hope it's all there, Yanoi. I could always find that guy again, you know." Yanoi smiled, looking up into the man's face.
"No need, Tazuriko-san. Thank you very much. This is more than plenty, even if it isn't four thousand." He smiled down at her, running a hand through her hair.
"I'm sure it is. Payment well worth sticking by your friend. You have my gratitude for that." He turned, beginning to walk away. He paused, turning his head slightly. "Did you really think that Deidara would win?" Yanoi smiled, turning to look back at the arena.
"Of course I did. I had no doubt in my mind." Tazuriko nodded, waving as he left. So...she has more faith in him than I did. Interesting. As she watched him leave, Yanoi sighed. Deidara-kun really was something.
A/N: I'm sorry to say that this is the next to last chapter. Next chapter is it. Then, it is on to Deidara's Story: Clay Hearts Molded. I hope that you all enjoyed this fanfiction. I will post the last chapter either tomorrow, Sunday, or Monday, so you won't have to wait long. Again, thanks to all those who have reviewed, and to those who have favorited or alerted this story. I love you all so dearly. Thank you one and all!
Masashi Kishimoto has the rights to Deidara and his minions. Thank you Kishimoto!