Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or most of the characters would be alive

Warning: Contains language

Getting Freedom

Chapter 17

OO00OO

Ruri hadn't heard from Deidara since a very disturbing meeting the Akatsuki held. Deidara and Tobi had been told to abandon their mission; however Deidara was aware that Sasuke Uchiha was in the area. He had actually announced to everyone that if he ran into Sasuke he was going to kill him for a number of reasons. Itachi wasn't very happy about that.

Ruri knew that the "if" actually meant that he was going to go looking for him. To distract herself Ruri had practically been training nonstop. At this point she didn't even care who her opponents were as long as she could blow off some steam. Normally she wouldn't be worried about Deidara but something about Sasuke seemed off. Off in the way that she was.

She let her head fall back on the comfy leather chair she was sitting on. What could she do at this point? Then her head snapped up.

"Hey Sasori are you free?" she asked the older man who was immersed in some book yet again.

"I was reading." Sasori didn't even look up at her but he already knew that she was pouting. He thought the woman had become a wreck since she stopped hearing from Deidara.

"I'm going to need a medical ninja for what I'm working on," Ruri whined at him. His brown eyes flickered to her for a second before going back down to his book.

"And what is it you're working on?" He asked. His tone still seemed uninterested, but he was actually curious.

"A jutsu I've been trying to perfect for years," Ruri answered. "However I haven't gotten it quite right yet. It usually ends up with me on the floor and bleeding."

"I'll go with you as long as you don't kill yourself," Sasori said setting his book down.

The two of them walked to the training arena but no matter what Sasori had asked she hadn't revealed anything about this jutsu. He figured that it must be difficult considering that she hadn't perfected it. Ruri took to learning things fast and being able to perform them with a natural fluency it was hard to believe she wasn't able to do this jutsu.

When they arrived Ruri instructed Sasori to sit down after she handed him her jacket. Sasori had never seen the girl take off her jacket before; it was something she seemed to always have with her. He noted that she was still practicing in her boots. She'd walk around barefoot but she would never wear any other shoes besides those ones.

"So are you going to tell me what I might need to heal?" Sasori asked as Ruri took out a kunai.

"Usually its profuse bleed and spinal fracture," Ruri answered. Ruri took the kunai and sliced two holes through her tank tops. They were lower on her back and away from the tattoo on her shoulder. "It's risky but it could give me a great advantage if I can learn how to control it."

Sasori agreed that the jutsu must be risky, and extremely difficult. It probably had to do with that power that she didn't like to use. Ruri started a series of complicated hand signs and there was even some leg movement added in. Her eyes had already turned into the sinister purple color.

"Wings of hell!" Ruri chanted out.

Sasori watched as purple psychic wings formed in front of her. She made another hand sign and they moved behind her. In another second they started to pierce her back as if touching her skin. They looked like dragon fly wings if he had to classify them, they also looked painful. Her back was bleeding slightly but for the most part it looked as if she had it under control. His medical expertise told him that spinal fracture was due to the wings attaching to her spine in order to be controlled properly by her mind. It was like she was using it as an extension on her body.

With that done Ruri ran before jumping. The wings began flapping continuously as she flew through the air. Ruri performed various twists and turns in the air. She extracted kunai and threw them experimentally and there were no problems. Next she had to test the part that always went wrong.

Every time Ruri would try to use more psychic waves it would be too much for her. It was exhausting. It taped into more of her mind and will power, than most other normal jutsus did. It also had a tendency to crack her ability to control her powers.

Ruri sent out a psychic wave and felt the motion of the wings falter but not stop. Sasori noticed it too but made no move to help her. Then he wasn't expecting the shower of waves that she released that sliced the ground and stone around the arena. He wondered if that was supposed to happen. He figured it wasn't as soon as one flew dangerously close to him.

Shit! Ruri thought as she began falling from the air. There was purple spraying behind her and she could do absolutely nothing about it. Ruri heard her spine snap and she couldn't stop the tears pouring from her eyes. It hurt so much, Ruri instantly blacked out from the pain.

Sasori was running to Ruri the second he realized that she had blacked out. The purple wings had disappeared from her body and the psychic waves were no longer flying around the training area as she spiraled to the ground. Sasori got there just in time to catch her.

Ruri's guess was exactly right. He started to heal her spine and stop her profuse bleeding. It wasn't worse than the wooden stake that had been in her side but it was bad enough. Thankfully he had been there otherwise it would've turned into something extremely dangerous and serious. As soon as he finished healing Ruri her eyes opened instantly. It surprised him he expected her to sleep for a while.

"That's the closest I've ever been," Ruri said with a genuine smile. "Flying is really the best experience. Well standby I'm going to perfect it today I can feel it."

"You're crazy!" Sasori yelled. One look into those still purple eyes told him he was absolutely right. However it was also as if she was saying I don't give a fuck so deal with it. Sasori sighed. "You wouldn't listen to me anyway."

"I do listen to you," Ruri replied. "You're my teammate I actually carefully consider everything you say. I trust you enough to confide in feelings with you. That's something only a friend would do right?"

That smile broke him. She had convinced him with just a few sentences to let her do as she pleased. The thing that was surprising was the use of the word friend. Was that they really were? Sasori had never had a sincere friend before. If it was Ruri everything would be sure to be eventful, to say the least.

"Fine just don't kill yourself," Sasori stated. "Deidara would never let me hear the end of it."

"Damn straight he wouldn't so don't get any funny ideas!" Ruri broke out into a fit of laughter and Sasori couldn't help but smile back just a little bit.

OO00OO

Ruri couldn't remember a time when she was so well satisfied, and exhausted. Her chakra was replenishing rapidly thanks to an experimental medicine Sasori had invented. Turns out he had been reading up about that for weeks and not working on his puppets. Who would have guessed that he was that concerned about the members?

Ruri glanced at the dresser. Sitting on it was a small clay dragonfly. Truthfully it was the whole inspiration for the wing design. Ruri had tried other types but a dragonfly style had never crossed her mind. In reality it hadn't met the criteria of beauty she was looking for. Ruri had focused on birds' wings and butterflies for the most part. Now she felt like she had matured enough to figure out that those things didn't suit her.

Ruri picked up the clay dragonfly and placed it in the pocket of her jacket. Maybe the reason she had noticed it was because it was different than the rest of his art. She knew it had to be older than the others. The style was more natural like than anything else.

Ruri lied down on the bed intending to take an afternoon nap. She deserved after all of that training. She also needed to find a way to thank Sasori fir helping her. She was thinking of sweets that the red head might like to eat and how she could make them tomorrow.

OO00OO

Ruri felt it the blazing pain of explosives. An almost electric shock ran through her body. Why did it hurt so much? Then she was there in front of her.

"Oh my Ruri," Maeva said with fake surprise. "I hate to do this but I know something you want to know."

"Really bitch? Just tell me," Ruri said through clenched teeth. Usually she would try and play nice but there was an extreme pain running through her body.

"Hmm I will but only if you let my power out soon," Maeva said. She was deathly calm, and that meant she was serious.

"I will have no choice but to in a few weeks," Ruri replied. "I will most likely be fighting decorated Konoha ninja. We'll kill him, and most likely without mercy."

"Good girl," Maeva praised. "You're undergoing a mental and physical connection. I'm so proud of you only my first and fourth vessel ever did that. However they knew exactly what they were doing you don't."

"Are you going to elaborate?" Ruri crossed her arms in annoyance at Maeva's smiling face.

"You connected with someone in mind and body. It happens when you have a mental bond, physical bond, and an item. You're feeling what that person is right now."

Deidara Ruri thought. She ignored Maeva's cackling laughter as she ran into the darkness. She needed to wake up now.

Ruri bolted up right. She pulled on her boots that were next to the dresser and began the hand signs for the teleportation jutsu.

OO00OO

The first thing Ruri saw when she teleported was Deidara getting punched in the face. Next she felt a splitting pain in her jaw. Now she was mad. Not only was Deidara exhausted but he had little to no chakra left. He was in suicide mode, that's what she would call it. His natural childlike nature would do anything to win even if it meant killing himself.

She vaguely listened to their conversation. Ruri would admit the younger Uchiha was in fact a genius like his brother. He had found every single weak point that Deidara had through the sharingan that was to be expected. The sharingan was simply amazing at detecting everything.

"Now Uchiha tell me my weak points," Ruri said as she emerged from the trees. She noticed that he wasn't in amazing shape either. His body had scratches and marks; he was tired and no match for her if he tried. He was also utterly shocked by her appearance.

"Ruri get out of here!" Deidara hissed from his spot on the ground. He could barely even stand.

"You don't have any," Sasuke said eyes boring into now amethyst orbs. "The sharingan could not copy any of your movements or jutsus."

"That's exactly right." Ruri wore a smirk. "Deidara let me tell you something I learned in my Genin days. My sensei once said that ninjas who leave their teammates to die are trash. I follow that rule. Plus I feel no guilt for killing people but I would feel guilt if I watched someone I loved die before me. Get over it."

Deidara and Ruri would fight a lot, and he knew that. However he had never seen that look in her eyes before. Yes he had seen happy, sad, panicked, crazed, but this was a look of domination. He would guess that he had actually made her mad in some way. He would hate the day when she was pissed.

"You find Tobi and we can get out of here," Ruri instructed.

"Where's Itachi?" Sasuke asked Ruri as Deidara was limping away. He didn't like this girl, and she didn't like him. He wasn't lying his sharingan was unable to process any of her movements, that shouldn't be possible.

"Would you believe me if I said in Konoha?" Ruri teased with a bright smile. Sasuke scowled at her. "Guess not then. Listen he'll find you when it's time."

He wasted no time and charged at Ruri. She easily escaped him the guy was worn out entirely. Her eyes widened in shock when she felt a shift in his chakra. It was stronger like it was replenished instantly.

Ruri faced him back about ten feet. His skin had turned a scaly brown and he had marks across his face. He had wings one had claws at the tip the other was made entirely of snakes.

"There's no way in hell that you can fly with those disproportionate wings," Ruri stated. It wasn't a joke she was merely stating logic. Well she guessed Sasuke Uchiha defied logic as he flew towards her.

"Okay I will admit that I was a little wrong about that one," Ruri joked as she landed down in a squat on a tree branch.

Sasuke floated and observed her. She was different than before. Besides the fact that her hair was loose and going everywhere. Was she tired? She wasn't wearing as many clothes as before, so maybe she had woken up and came straight here. Her movements were slightly slower but it was obvious she had chakra stored up.

Ruri started making hand signs. Sasuke watched closely, memorizing each and every sign as she progressed on. Her hands were fast but he knew the signs. A smirk graced her lips as she realized what he was doing. It was completely impossible to copy her; only one other person could hope to do that. That person most certainly wasn't anywhere in this dimension.

"Wings of hell!" Ruri shouted. The purple wings appeared flew straight into her back. Ruri hissed but relaxed as the wings completely attached themselves.

Sasuke was unprepared for that. He also wasn't prepared for how fast she moved as she came flying at him. Using the chakra laced kick she had learned from Sakura she kicked him in the abdomen. He was sent back into a tree.

"I learned that from Sakura," Ruri said smiling. "I hope you get to experience that from her it will be a lot more painful."

Ruri saw Deidara and Tobi appear on the edge of the forest watching her, Deidara passed out seconds later. Ruri quickly flew towards them and landed. She was panting and exhausted. Just because she has chakra doesn't mean that Ruri was ready to do strenuous activity.

"Ruri-Chan what are you doing here?" Tobi asked in that childlike voice of his.

"This idiot notified me telepathically about his condition even thought it was unconsciously," Ruri replied. "Right now the important thing is to get back to the base. My body barely had enough energy to do that."

"Are you running away?" Ruri was taken aback by Tobi's tone of voice. It was almost like an adult's. Ruri scowled at him and her wings disappeared.

"Sasuke is not mine to kill," She answered. "If I killed him it would ruin future plans." Ruri ignored whatever Tobi was saying and began her hand signs.

They had barely teleported away when Sasuke reached them.

"Shit!" he cursed. Sasuke knew that girl was the best chance he had at finding Itachi. She had said that she would be on his side but she wasn't doing anything to help him. He was angry, but at least she didn't drag him back to Konoha.

OO00OO

Pein waited for Madara to finish his dark cackling in the leader's office. He had just returned from his mission out as Tobi and it seemed like he couldn't be more pleased. Ruri had not notified or waited for orders and had gone to save Deidara through some sort of mind contact. Pein expected Madara to be mad at the poor girl not happy she had shown up. Then again Deidara was a very unique and valuable ninja.

"Pein I never thought I would see the day when an Akatsuki member would save another member," Madara mused. He had a crooked smile on his face.

"Neither did I," Pein agreed. As far as he knew none of the members had really been close besides him and Konan.

"That girl thinks that she can evade me forever." Madara let out a deep chuckle. "She's so foolish. Now I know what her weakness is. We must make sure to keep Deidara in our ranks; as long as we have him we have her."

"I understand. What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing yet but we can easily use that girl in the future. If things go well we might not even have to send you to Konoha. We can send her. I can just see the disgusted face she'll be making." Madara shuttered with anticipation and delight. "Once a member she'll always be one."

OO00OO

Ruri sat and watched as Sasori fixed Deidara up on his bed. He had injured his arms yet again, and had major rib damage. He was lucky to be alive with all the internal damage.

"If he gets rest he should heal in time," Sasori said getting up from Deidara's side. He watched Ruri with mild interest. He had never seen someone with such a blank expression. "If he wakes up it's fine if you talk to him for a while."

"Okay," Ruri practically whispered. Ruri waited until Sasori left the room before she broke down.

She knelt by Deidara's side and quietly cried. She wondered if this is what he felt when she had been unconscious. All she knew was that it felt like shit. Questions plagued through her mind. Why did I become a ninja? What do ninja's really do for the world? Should I leave him?

Naturally Ruri felt like she could've done something. She knew he was going to confront Sasuke but why hadn't she stopped him? Ruri felt nothing but anger right now and it was all her fault. Sure Deidara had been stupid enough to confront him and almost kill himself that doesn't mean the situation was preventable. Hopefully Ruri will feel better soon, and Deidara will wake up.

OO00OO

Deidara woke up with a pounding headache. He saw Ruri asleep kneeling on the ground. He could see dried tear tracks on her cheek. He took his hand and gently brushed her face.

"Let her sleep," Sasori said quietly. "She's been waiting for you to wake up for four days nonstop."

"How did she know about me?" Deidara asked. I felt like he should be dead. That was what was going to happen in the end.

"She said something about it being her natural reflex," Sasori answered. "You realize she's going to be pissed right?"

"Yeah she might be, but knowing her she realized the same thing happened to me. She may act like a child but she's more of an adult than a lot of people."

"You should never accuse people of immaturity," Sasori retorted before leaving the room. The sound of the door closing stirred Ruri from her sleep.

Her emerald eyes met his and Deidara wasn't prepared for what happened next. She just started crying. It wasn't something he hadn't seen before, crying that is, but most shinobi refrain from crying. He followed his natural instinct and brought her up into a warm embrace.

"When you're fully healed I'm going to beat you into a near death state," She sobbed out.

"I know but look I'm going to be okay," Deidara attempted to cheer her up.

"You better be okay. I could've got killed because of my body's exhaustion. If you had been smart you wouldn't have attempted to fight Sasuke, but no you just had to be a fucking idiot."

"That's right I'm an idiot," Deidara agreed. He had been caught up in the heat of the moment. As an artist he had always done what seemed passionate to him at the time, even if it hurt him. Now he realized his existence actually mattered, for the first time it mattered to someone.

"I want us to leave this place soon," Ruri whispered. She felt as Deidara's body tensed. "I can get us out of here don't worry."

"You were flying," Deidara stated trying to draw the conversation away from that topic. Ruri was being impulsive and he knew it.

"Yeah I was." Ruri let out a bitter laugh at the statement. It was the first time nothing mechanically wrong happened, it was in a way a small victory.

"It was very pretty," Deidara complimented pulling back to look at her eyes. He managed a weak smile and she did the same. "It's like you were meant to be in the air; like you were going to fly to heaven."

"My real wings would only fly me to hell," Ruri choked out. "I'm going to get you something to drink and eat. I'll be right back."

There it was again. Deidara had heard her say something that countered his compliment. He noticed that she would only accept compliments she felt were true. If he ever said stuff like 'you're perfect' 'you're such a good person' she would instantly get a pained expression on her face.

Deidara figured he wouldn't be dying for a while. He needed to stay alive long enough to make sure Ruri could never make a face like that ever again.

OO00OO

That's it for now but I should warn you the story will end in no more than five chapters. Of course I will have an epilogue and a side story for Yukiko. Yeah her life is the one that's least covered in this story, but she shows up a lot. Please leave a review! If you do than I love you 3