A/N: Okay there wasn't much point in the last chapter being a cliffhanger since I updated again like, 2 hours later...

Please don't hate me for this chapter! It's not the last one yet, but it's nearly over.

Enjoy... If you can :D x


Her head throbbed, and she screwed her eyes up as she began to regain her vision. She was in a tiny square room, clear of furniture. She silently thanked god that although it was faint, there was light in here. Her hand lifted to touch her forehead but jerked to an abrupt halt before she could reach it. She blinked, confused and looked down at her wrists.

'They're chakra cuffs, kid. You aint getting out of them anytime soon,' A man's voice echoed through the room from beside her, sending shivers up her spine.

She glanced to her left and her eyes widened in surprise. He had spiky grey hair, just long enough to be pulled back into a short ponytail. His harsh black eyes were hidden behind perfectly round frames, which he pushed casually further up his nose.

He looked so normal, and she realised absently that she had been expecting some sort of mutant snake army to emerge from the shadows.

'W-where am I? What happened?' She was still dazed from her unconsciousness, and she tried frantically to remember the last few events.

'You're in one of Lord Orochimaru's prison cells. Struggling is useless, you aren't leaving anytime soon.'

Akira felt her heart twist as she remembered the Akatsuki. 'Where are they? What have you done to them?'

He chuckled quietly, knowing exactly who she meant. As he watched her squirm, her panic became more and more evident on her features. 'They're around. I would be worrying much more about my own situation though if I were you…'

He moved from leaning on the wall to crouch down in front of her. He lifted a hand to brush a strand of hair from her eyes and she flinched at his touch.

'Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions about your little friends. Answer them correctly and I promise you, no one will get hurt,' he lied cruelly, a mocking smirk playing on his lips.

She glowered at him and hissed between clenched teeth, 'And what if I don't?'

'Hmm…' He backhanded her cheek with a loud 'smack' and she gasped in pain and shock.

He leaned closer to whisper against her ear. 'Then we do it the hard way.'

*************** Elsewhere ***************

'I'm done, yeah! Let's get moving!' Deidara practically shoved Tobi forward and they tore down the halls in the direction Kisame had run.

'Which way, Senpai?' The teenager panted.

'We split up. Find Akira! Itachi and Kisame can hold their own,' he was already racing away as he shouted back his last few words.

Now alone, Tobi sighed. He walked a little further until he came across a set of stairs, illuminated by candlelight. 'Finally…'

Jogging down the steps, he paused as he reached the bottom and craned his neck against a large metal door, blocking his path.

Akira cried out as a searing pain rippled through her thigh. The man pushed his glasses up his nose and tutted. 'See now you wouldn't have to go through any of this if you'd just tell me where the ten tails is.'

'I told you I don't know! And even if I did I would NEVER tell you!' She scrabbled helplessly against the wall as he dug another kunai into her leg, twisting it slightly and sneering as she yelped.

She doubled over in a weak attempt of protection, only to have her head yanked up as the man grabbed a fistful of green hair. His fist connected with her cheek, sending her sprawling across the murky floor as far as the chains would allow.

His heavy boot collided painfully with her stomach and she coughed hard, clamping her hand over her mouth as she began to splutter blood.

From outside, Tobi pulled back from the door and sucked in a deep breath. He drew his leg back and booted the metal door clean off its hinges, startling both occupants.

'T-Tobi…' Akira managed between rasping breaths, she struggled to sit herself up and leaned back against the cold wall.

'Kabuto,' the teenagers voice was low and dangerous. Akira didn't know how such strong hatred could be conveyed through a single word, least of all from him.

'Hah, so you joined the Akatsuki, hm?' Kabuto pushed his glasses up his nose again, an irritating habit that Akira scowled at.

'Don't push me. I will kill you…' Her blood ran cold and she froze, staring at the stranger in her best friend's body. Is this really Tobi? Maybe Orochimaru got to him… Maybe he's under his control…

Something gleamed in Kabuto's eye as he crouched into a defensive stance.

Before either of them could make a move, their little party was crashed abruptly when Deidara and Kisame burst into the room.

'Kabuto!' Kisame spat at him, and Deidara narrowed his eyes as he spotted Akira.

Suddenly, a deafening series of explosions began to rumble throughout the hideout, and Itachi appeared swiftly in the doorway.

'We've go to get out of here, now.' It disturbed her to think that even Itachi had noted their circumstances as dire.

Kabuto sighed, 'Well I really hate to leave you at such an exciting moment in time, but I do believe that is my cue to leave,' He made a hand sign and vanished before anyone could make a grab for him.

Shaking his head angrily, Itachi shouted at them. 'Did you hear me? Move!'

Deidara sent a small clay bird spiralling up to the ceiling, blowing a wide, gaping hole in the roof. Itachi and Kisame leapt through it, and Deidara pulled out a kunai to slash the chakra cuffs open in one forceful blow.

She winced slightly as he cradled her in his arms. Using the same escape as their comrades, Deidara landed on one of the large clay birds they had travelled on, that he had left hidden in the trees for their quick getaway.

He set her down gently and began to steer the construct away.

'Wait, where's Tobi?' She screeched, almost diving headfirst back into the hideout.

Deidara caught her arm and pulled her back sharply. 'He's finishing the explosives! There's a section at the back that needs manually igniting!'

'What?! He'll never survive the other explosions in there… He'll be killed!' She struggled against his grip but he only held on tighter. 'Deidara, go back! We have to go back!'

'Tobi knows this mission is vital and if we mess this up now all hell will break loose is that what you want, yeah?'

His harsh words hit her like a merciless slap in the face. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pushed desperately against his chest. 'Let go! We have to go back! We have to–'

Her cries were cut off by a deafeningly thunderous explosion below them. Her mouth hung open and her lip quivered as she stared at the large gaping hole in the terrain, where Orochimaru's base had once been hidden.

She felt Deidara's arms loosen and he pulled her closer. She let him rock her quietly, no longer able to control her body as the horrific realisation hit her. This had been their plan all along. The main event, Deidara's specialty. It had to be manually ignited, using Tobi as a mere pawn.

A single sob ripped from her throat.

Deidara felt his heart break at the sudden noise, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he 'shh'ed her. 'We couldn't go back, yeah…' He mumbled into her hair. 'I'm so sorry.'


A/N: ...I know. I killed Tobi. I'M SO SORRY.

I actually love his childish character, but I thought I'd better bring his real side out before it finished.

One more chapter left, then I'll probably do an Epilogue. I'm considering a sequel when it's finally finished but it probably won't be immediate.

Thanks for reading, please R&R! x