Sakura ran to see if she could find and confront the strange man but he was no where to be seen. She glanced around the streets for even just a small hint of his existence. Anything, even if it was just a glimmer. Turning with no such luck, Sakura moved to walk towards Tsunade's office when something crunched and buckled under her foot. It was an orange mask, or at least half of one, crumpled into the dirt, decorated with small black lines all going to the hole on the one side. She picked it up, dusting it off, and eyed it curiously while some faint familiarity tugged at the corner of her mind though not revealing itself. Sakura shrugged and tucked the piece into one of her pouches and continued on the path.
Overhead, on the rooftops, a shadow loomed over watching Sakura. Black spiked hair shifted in the air, rustling the dark robe and making the illusion that the printed red clouds were flowing through the night like fabric. The shadow deflated with a sigh, looking down at his half of his mask mournfully.
"Such a waste. Now I'll need a new one," he remarked dully, tossing it aside.
"That's what you get for getting to close," Deidara muttered distastefully, coming out of the shadows beside him.
"You're so negative, Senpai. I'm doing very well. I got the girl intrigued," Tobi replied, smiling as he stepped away from the edge, looking up. "Don't you think so, Kisame?"
The shark-like fiend was sitting on top of a water town on the roof, flashing his rows of sharp teeth evilly which usually meant he was happy.
"You did very well, Tobi."
"He wasn't supposed to make contact though!" Deidara whined irritably at his teammates, slumping onto the edge of the building, letting his feet dangle off the side. "Our orders were to seek out Itachi and Sasuke, first and only until other orders were given."
"Lighten up, Deidara-Senpai. Itachi made contact first and it's only fair to scope out and find out why. Beside, she's wearing that necklace. The one Pain spoke to us about." Tobi chirped smartly, nudging his counterpart playfully until he was shoved away.
The group stiffened as the air tensed. Deidara reeled on him, wide-eyed,
"Are you sure?"
Tobi smirked smugly. "Pretty damn sure it was."
"Sounds flimsy to me," Deidara sneered. Tobi glanced down a moment a shifted his feet slightly.
"Well, I didn't actually see it, BUT!" he shouted before Deidara could reach close enough to strangle him. "But, I saw the chain and the outline to the locket. It has to be the same one, right?"
Kisame smacked his hand over his face. Now was the best time not to look as Deidara stood angrily and chase after Tobi in blind fury. This, of course was pointless as well considering Tobi was laughing and hopping around like it was a game when Kisame knew that if he was to get caught, even for a second, He'd surely be killed. So, instead, he decided to intervene, grabbing Tobi's collar and stopping Deidara by pushing him back with his other hand.
"Children, please. Could be serious for once? Whether or not Tobi is right or wrong, we still have to check it out. The girl doesn't know who Tobi is so there was no harm in him being that close although it was risky. What if Kakahi had entered?"
Tobi hung his head, bitter now. It was a cheap shot to bring Kakashi in to this.
"Anyways," he continued, "It didn't happen so we're in the clear and you don't know to kill him, Deidara."
Deidara snarled in response, moving away to straighten him self out while Tobi tugged childishly at his collar to be released until Kisame let go, causing him to crumble to the floor with a yelp.
Kisame dusted his hands and regarded the other two with a teasing look.
"On with the show then."