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Chapter Text

Ragged…cold breaths. A thief desperately fled across the muddy ground beneath her barren feat. Wild hair danced in the storm, mixed with scarlet blood. Her skin was decorated with dirty scrapes and bruises. Hoarse gasps escaped her throat. She stumbled, cutting her foot against a sharp rock. Yet she pushed on, crawling toward her destination. The wind howled, whipping against her back. Tears mingled with cold rain, as she extended one shaky limb after the other. The thief coughed, but kept one hand pressed against her precious treasure.

“…Almost….t-there….” The thief sputtered, dead eyes obscured by shadows. “…So…c-close…” She whispered to the grass. Her eyes drooped with exhaustion. She almost succumbed to her mind’s desires. However, a thunderous roar from behind the thief brought her back to her senses.

“This way! Find them and kill them!” A dark stranger growled, a light peaking over the hills from the night. The thief muffled her cries, painfully rising to continue her escape.

After torturous hours of evasion, the thief fell down into darkness. She hit the hard stone flood with a thud. Breathlessly staring up at the cloudy black sky. Eventually, she pulled herself to her feet and wandered into the ominous jaws of the dark tunnels. Though, it was no impediment to her. For the thief was skilled in navigating the dark descent of the cave.

A crazed smile spread across her face. As she hungrily gazed at her treasure. A giggle jumped out of her mouth as mountains of lustrous thoughts invaded her mind. So caught up in her zeal, the thief didn’t notice a crack in the floor. The thief tripped, the treasure crashing to the floor.

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the night.

———

*Flashback* Six years ago…

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki loudly yawned as he scribbled on his paperwork. Eyes squinting as he pushed through the lines. His brown kage hat was tilted, obscuring his wrinkled face. For a second, the old warrior nodded off. But, Onoki shot awake, quickly shaking his head to reorientate himself. Rubbing his eye, the Tsuchikage abruptly stood. Removing his hat in the process.

“Damn office…” Onoki grumbled, shuffling out the door. He just needed some fresh air is all, then he could get back to work no problem. Because he was still an able, competent kage! And not too old for the position!

After enjoying the rocky mountain breeze, Onoki returned to his office. A peaceful expression adorned the old man’s face. He felt invigorated from his short break. The Tsuchikage felt so good, he felt as if he could plow right through his remaining paperwork. However, before Onoki could restart the mundane work. He noticed his Kage hat was missing. At first the short elder was perplexed, which swiftly turned into irritation upon hearing the youthful laughs below his office.

“WHY-LITTLE RASCALS! GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!” The furious Tsuchikage raged, demolishing the door on his way outside.

In the streets of Iwagakure, village of the hidden stone, three kids gleefully ran. The thunderous shouts of Onoki nipping at their heels. The oldest of these kids was a large boy, who promptly introduced his plump face to the ground.

“Come on, Akatsuchi!” The second, a black haired girl yelled back. She was Kurotsuchi, who happened to be Onoki’s granddaughter.

“Don’t worry about it, Kuro! There’s no way that slow, old man could catch up to us, hm!” The last boy, with long blonde hair said with a proud teasing grin. He wore Onoki’s stolen Kage hat on his head as the three kids raced ahead.

“SLOW? WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU BRAT! I’LL SHOW YOU-“ Onoki shrieked at the blonde’s remark.

“I’d like to see you try, old man, hm!” The blonde quipped in response. His words served to incense the Tsuchikage further. Steam practically poured out from his ears.

“He’s catching up, Deidara!” Kurotsuchi reported, sheepishly glancing behind them as they turned the corner of another stone building. The three kids ducked under carts and dodged bystanders in their escape. Though, Onoki continued to gain ground by the minute. The blonde didn’t reply and kept his vision focused ahead. Deidara smirked as he saw a stand selling rag dolls at a stand. With a leap the boy somersaulted onto the counter. He proceeded to jump off with a laugh. Leaving the dolls scattered on the ground.

The middle aged woman screeched as he reunited with his friends.

“You didn’t have to do that, Deidara.” Akatsuchi chided with a sigh as they continued to run.

“Eh, I just showed that hag what real art looked like, hm.” The blonde shrugged off. “It actually could’ve been better.” He added, hands twitching. “Because art, is an explosion-“

*Flashback end*

———

Kurotsuchi gasped as her eyes flew open. She instinctively rolled onto the floor, scanning her room for danger. However, there was no one around but her. The kunoichi sharply exhaled before standing. Then sat on her bed while spinning a kunai. It was still night outside, the moon watching over Iwagakure’s stone structures in silence.

“Not again…” Kurotsuchi mentally cursed. How many times had she dreamt of those days long past? Too many to count. She glanced at a small framed photo that sat on her desk. It showed a teenage Kuro, Akatsuchi, and Deidara as jounin. The blonde shinobi had once again made fun of Onoki, whose shorter figure angrily hollered to the trio’s amusement.

It had been years since then. A distant lifetime for Kurotsuchi. She felt a wave of nostalgia and longing pulse through her, but quickly shook it off.

“Kurotsuchi?” A loud knock from the hallway interrupted her thoughts. The kunoichi wasn’t surprised to find Akatsuchi in her home. The two had known each other long enough to afford such privileges.

“What is it?” She asked with a hint of irritation.

“We’re being sent out. Lord Tsuchikage specifically asked for us.” Akatsuchi lazily explained, leaning against the stone walls. Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes at the news.

“This better be important. Where’s the old fossil sending us?” The kunoichi muttered while she grabbed her equipment.

“Land of Water-“ Her old teammate began, surprising Kurotsuchi.

“Are you serious? And this can’t wait until tomorrow-“ She began to spout, turning to face Akatsuchi.

“It’s Deidara.” He simply declared, causing them both to fall silent. Kurotsuchi was still as a statue, before slowly returning to her preparations.

“Is my old man… you know?’ The young woman quietly asked, eyes obscured by her hair.

“Lord Tsuchikage will be joining us this time.” Akatsuchi answered, tone carefree though his somber eyes betrayed him.

“…Got it, thanks, Akatsuchi.” Kurotsuchi forced out, not looking at him. The loyal shield nodded, wordlessly exiting the area. Kuro shortly followed, shooting a final sad gaze at the photo as she left to meet the others.

———

Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, and Onoki travelled the long journey to Kirigakure. The kunoichi scoffing at her shivering friend during the boat ride across. The trio first met with Mei Terumi. The auburn haired Kage introduced the Kiri nin who would accompany them during the mission. These new additions included Ao of the byakugan, who curtly greeted the Iwa crew. Beside him was Chojuro, a mild mannered member of the seven swordsmen. Finally there were five scouts who walked in front.

“Kiri previously sent two jounin teams to investigate rumours of Akatsuki operating in an old mountain cave system, neither returned.” Ao grimly reported as they left the village gates.

“Mph, how is that not surprising…” Onoki loudly mumbled. Their Kiri compatriots visibly tensed at the Kage’s words. Kurotsuchi didn’t bother trying to hide her annoyance. Next to her Akatsuchi gave no indication of noticing anything amiss. 

“If the Mizukage herself hadn’t ordered this mission. I would personally demonstrate how incorrect you are…” Ao darkly muttered, raising his chin as if looking down on the Kage. Kurotsuchi and Onoki bristled.

“In case you haven’t realized! I’m the Third-“ The old Kage began, before Kurotsuchi cut him off.

“Don’t start a fight before we’ve even there, gramps.” The kunoichi warned with a sigh. Akatsuchi had stepped in front to shield the two should conflict arise. Onoki grumbled, but withdrew nonetheless. Ao appeared to have a similar but tamer discussion with Chojuro. Kurotsuchi took a step back, lamenting the situation. Iwagakure’s isolationist attitude had it’s benefits. But, when Iwa actually needed to work with the other villages. Their attitude’s flaws became glaringly obvious. Iwa’s reputation as a trustworthy partner being nearly non existent for one.

“Continue.” The Tsuchikage motioned, biting down an insult. Ao similarly, inhaled to recompose himself.

“Very well then… with our teams current unknown status. We have reason to believe there to be a substantial threat. Particularly, our scouts have been able to confirm one of your fugitives, Deidara’s presence in the caves.” The eyepatch wearing shinobi informed.

“Which is why you sent word to us.” Akatsuchi surmised with a small nod.

“Y-yeah, since he’s from your village and everything. W-we kind of thought you’d be more experienced in handling him, and all…” Chojuro shyly stuttered.

“Chojuro, speak clearly!” Ao sternly chided, a disapproving glint in his eye.

“I-I know, sorry…” The young swordsman bashfully replied.

“As he said, you should be able to handle him, at least.” Ao repeated, a small amount of contempt leaking into his voice.

“Grr, of course we can.” Onoki roughly answered. “So what will you Kiri nin be doing while we do the fighting?” The Tsuchikage drawled, eyes narrowing. The old man implying that the Iwa group would be doing all the work.

“We will be facing the rest of Akatsuki that should happen to present themselves in the area.” Ao stated, meeting Onoki’s gaze head on, unflinching. By taking on the more challenging foe, he had implied the Iwa group was too weak to handle it themselves. The air froze as hostilities seemed to mount once more between the men. Before another scene could occur however, Chojuro hurriedly stepped in.

“Ah, we don’t think we’ll be facing any more than one opponent though. From what we gathered from the other villages, Akatsuki travels in pairs. It’s unlikely two pairs are together in this case.” The young swordsman said with a shaky chuckle.

“He’s right, we’d have brought more people if we thought we’d be facing that many enemies.” A female scout, Umi noted. 

“…A shame, there’s a certain swordsman I would’ve liked to execute.” Ao muttered, looking away with a scowl.

“Kisame Hoshigaki, yes? Famed shinobi turned missing nin.” Kurotsuchi recalled. “I can understand your hatred. We feel the same about Deidara.” She bitterly stated, eyes dark.

“Mph, if it resembles anything close to mine. I imagine you’ll have no problem permanently eliminating the pest then.” Ao remarked, a small smirk on his face. If there was anything to agree on with him, it would be the shared hatred of missing nin. But, at his words Kuro inwardly tensed.

“…Do you doubt us?” The Iwa kunoichi tersely questioned, face obscured.

“I doubt Iwagakure’s commitment to anything but themselves.” Ao murmured. He exchanged a final spiteful glance with the Iwa nin before marching ahead with the scouts. Kurotsuchi sighed, pinching her nose in frustration. She knew there would be no avoiding Deidara’s fate, no sparing him. They had all agreed long ago they would be killing Deidara. Yet the thought haunted her.

Kurotsuchi attempted to draw her thoughts away from the blonde.

Something positive. Perhaps this shared mission could grow into some sort of political toy that could ease relations between Iwa and Kiri. Their villages’ ties were especially tense at the moment. The trio had even discussed the hidden mist’s message being some sort of ploy before departing. But, they had gone anyway. Because it had concerned Deidara… her thoughts couldn’t escape him.

A nervous cough interrupted her thoughts. Looking up, she saw Chojuro approach. An unsaid barrier had formed between those from Iwa and Kiri, the young swordsman serving as a shaky bridge.

“What do you want?” She asked in an annoyed tone, regarding him with disinterest. “You don’t look like one of the feared seven swordsmen we’ve heard so much about.” Kurotsuchi halfheartedly mocked. Chojuro gulped as Ao looked back. The older man silently yelling for Chojuro to defend his and Kiri’s honour. The younger shinobi stiffened before speaking.

“I-uh-I-well, sorry about Ao. Please don’t take it personally.” Chojuro stammered. Kurotsuchi elected not to respond, as did her comrades. Seeing this, the shinobi scrambled to find a new topic of discussion. “Y-you’ll be okay with fighting, D-Deidara, right?” Chojuro eventually mumbled, despite Onoki’s glare.

“We know how that traitor fights well enough.” Kurotsuchi coldly remarked, answering for her team. Before the Kiri nin could respond, Ao barked for him to come forward which he hurriedly did. She watched her comrades. Behind Onoki’s annoyance and Akatsuchi’s placidness there were sullen souls. Kurotsuchi felt the same. She didn’t want their history to end like this, with Deidara’s death. Inside her mind a storm brewed. Despite everything their former comrade had done, she didn’t want him to die…

Her Deidara…

Chapter Text

It was around ten years ago, when a young Kurotsuchi lay idly by on the cracked rocky ground beneath her. She had stacked small rocks on top of each other. Small clicks ringing out as her tower grew with each new addition. Warm and cool air battled as they galloped down the mountains and into Iwagakure. A gentle breeze grazing the girl’s short black locks. Kurotsuchi let out a sigh, and with a bored kick toppled her tower in an instant.

Huffing, the black haired girl paced the empty yard. She was supposed to be training her nature releases. Raising the earth below and then smashing it back down. It was expected of her to be just as if not more powerful than her grandfather after all. But, Kurotsuchi didn’t particularly care about her future in the moment. Honing her skills wasn’t very fulfilling for a child, especially as she did so alone.

Usually her grandfather would supervise Kurotsuchi’s progress. However, Onoki was absent that day, meeting with other elders who ran the village. Whose names Kurotsuchi had halfheartedly attempted to remember. To little success of course.

“Kurotsuchi!” The Third Tsuchikage’s voice bellowed, shaking the ground. The girl hurriedly stood at attention, giving a polite bow to her grandfather.

“Grandfather.” She respectfully greeted. Upon prying her eyes open, a broad smile spread across her face. “Akatsuchi!” Kurotsuchi happily yelled out, loosening her posture.

“Hi Kuro!” The slightly stout boy cheerfully returned, waving his hand from beside the Tsuchikage. Onoki, the stubborn man he was, wasn’t fond of many people. Unfortunately, this was true even in his own hidden village. The kids often wondered if it was one of the many reasons nothing seemed to get done in Iwa when they weren’t fighting something or someone. Anyways, Akatsuchi was from one of the only family clans Onoki did seem to like. Thus, the boy was one of the only kids Kurotsuchi had really known during her early childhood. One of the only kids who Onoki allowed to spend time with her.

“Were you still practising while I was gone?” Onoki gruffly asked, passing remnants of rocky pillars from past training sessions.

“I was, grandfather.” Kurotsuchi lied, schooling her features. Onoki narrowed his old eyes at her, trying to find a slip up in her words. But, Kurotsuchi remained stone faced against his interrogation.

“Good.” The Tsuchikage eventually grumbled. He motioned for Akatsuchi to join Kurotsuchi’s side. Which the boy followed without complaint, as was his nature. “I’m still busy today. Got to deal with those good for nothing clan heads. Big Kage business and all that. You two spar or train together or something while I’m gone, understood?” Onoki ordered, receiving a pair of short nods in return.

With that her grandfather left the yard and soon disappeared behind the stone walls surrounding them. Once she was sure he was gone Kurotsuchi fell down onto her back, staring at the clear blue sky above.

“Okay, let’s start training-“ Akatsuchi was saying before she cut him off.

“Come on Akatsuchi…” The girl complained, pulling herself to her feet.

“It’s what Lord Tsuchikage said to do.” He stated. That was one of the reasons her grandfather allowed Kuro and Akatsuchi to hang out. The latter did what he was told to a tee. So, Kurotsuchi’s only friend was also her guard. She huffed, opening her mouth to argue. Even though Akatsuchi always won when it came to disobeying Onoki.

However, before they could begin the usual back and forth. A deafening boom ricocheted throughout the village. The earth trembled and shook against the sudden force. Kurotsuchi just barely stayed on her feet while her friend fell over.

“What was that?” Akatsuchi exclaimed, frantically waving his arms while regaining his bearings.

“How am I supposed to know?!” She yelled back, as another round of tremors overtook them. “Let’s go check it out!” The girl loudly suggested, her feet moving on their own volition. She was stopped when Akatsuchi grabbed her shoulder, pulling Kuro back.

“Lord Tsuchikage said to stay here though!” Her friend protested. But his wavering eyes betrayed him.

“…I-I know!” Kurotsuchi whined as another shake rang out. The two kids warily looked around at the surrounding stone. The smallest of cracks had emerged, yet it may as well’ve been an earthquake for them. “But, I really don’t think we should stay!” She gulped, trying to hide her fear.

For once, Akatsuchi didn’t protest as they raced out of the yard and into the streets.

———

Avoiding fellow panicked kids, citizens, shinobi, and kunoichi, Kurotsuchi noticed how the shaking had ceased. The two kids reached the village centre, filled to the brim with anxious gossipers. As they waded through the crowds, Akatsuchi turned his head toward the alleyways. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of yellow before a shockwave passed over them. A curious Kurotsuchi followed her friend’s gaze toward the alley.

“Kuro…” Akatsuchi began, seeing the glint in her eyes.

“Over there! Follow me!” She hurriedly whispered, pulling him forward into the winding alleys of Iwagakure.

“It could be dangerous-“ Her friend tried to argue, though she interrupted.

“We’re going to be nin anyways!” Kurotsuchi quipped as the shadows enveloped the duo. Following the sound of explosions and shouts, the two eventually reached the source of the ruckus. The girl eagerly peeked out from behind a corner, watching the chaos unfold. A blue eyed blonde boy was wrestling with one of the veteran jounin, yelling obscenities.

“Let me go, hm!” The blonde shouted as the jounin lifted him up by the arm. From the boy’s hand, another bomb went off that sent the kids flying back.

“Stop that, you no good-OUGH!” The jounin howled as the blonde kicked him where it hurts. The sudden pain caused the jounin to loosen his grip, releasing the laughing boy. With a smirk, the blonde leaped backwards to avoid a wayward swing.

“How are you a jounin if you can’t even hold down a little brat like me, hm? More like a joke, a very bad joke, hm!” The boy gleefully taunted, easily maneuvering around the irate shinobi. Growling, the jounin recklessly charged forward. And as the blonde flung himself to the left, his eyes went wide with shock as the ground shook beneath them.

“Earth Style: Hidden Mole!” A feminine voice rang out, shooting out from the cracks and causing a dust storm to run rampant. Suddenly, the boy was unexpectedly pinned to the wall. His head hitting the rock wall with a loud bang.

“Hey…” He groaned, trying to wriggle free. The woman holding him in place having emerged from the crusted ground.

“Who’s the joke now, HUH?” The jounin mocked, poking the boy on the forehead. Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi muffled their coughs from the woman’s dust clouds. But, Kuro saw that through the storm was an older girl on the curved stone rooks. Gracefully balancing on the edge, the new girl glanced at the duo before cutting her hand through the dust.

“Hehe, well uh, you caught me, hm! Now, I don’t suppose, you-can let me go, hm?” The blonde cheekily requested, ignoring the venomous scowls thrown his way. The jounin slammed his fists together in a gesture that was probably supposed to look intimidating.

However, before either could speak, the new girl had stealthy crept down from the roof and landed in front of the boy.

“Explosions Style: Exploding Palms…” The new girl attacked, spreading her arms out so that they faced the surprised nin’s faces. Twin explosions were borne from her hands and launched the two adults back into the surrounding buildings, though relatively uninjured. The shock of the jutsu causing the girl’s silky black hair to wildly whip the blonde.

“Ow! Control your hair, Mari, hm!” The blonde complained, rubbing his eye.

“Why are you always causing trouble, Deidara? It’s always so boring having to fix your messes…” The girl, Mari blandly retorted. “Come on, we need to go before they get up.” She insisted, grabbing his arm in a halfhearted drag.

“Got it, usual spot, hm?” The blonde asked, receiving a judging look from his rescuer. “So, usual spot, hm!” He added with a playful roll of his eyes, running ahead. The route the two kids took coincided with the alley Kuro and Akatsuchi stowed away in. Deidara nonchalantly knocking Kuro down in the process of escaping.

“Hey!” She irritably yelled, catching herself.

“Sorry, hm!” The boy shouted back, though his tone indicated otherwise.

“Why I-that!” Kurotsuchi seethed, impulsively deciding to give chase and avenge her honour.

“Kuro!” Akatsuchi tried to stop her, but failed to slow the girl down. Reluctantly, he also began to pursue after his friend and the other two misfits. The enraged screams of the nin behind him causing the boy to pick up the pace.

———

“Get back here dammit!” Kurotsuchi demanded as she ran after the two troublemakers. The blonde looked over his shoulder, surveying Kuro with a curious face.

“Aren’t you the Tsuchikage’s grandkid, hm? Roro, hm?” Deidara questioned in an mischievous tone.

“KUROTSUCHI! Now stop running and fight me!” She indignantly shrieked, increasing her speed.

“I’m good, hm! Can you stop tailing us, hm?” He asked with mock courtesy, starting to struggle in outrunning the fervent girl.

“Never!” Kuro hissed with such a ferocity that it made the boy pale considerably.

“We need to lose her!” Deidara whispered to Mari as they approached the village gates.

“We don’t have time, idiot!” She whispered back, getting an annoyed groan from the boy.

“…Hey, Kuku!-“ The blonde nicely started.

“KURO!” She heatedly corrected.

“Right, Kuro! Want to come with?” The boy sarcastically offered.

“Eh?” Kurotsuchi deadpanned. Before Deidara could elaborate, Akatsuchi frantically came dashing down the streets toward the trio. “Akatsuchi, help me get-“ The girl immediately tried to enlist her friend to her cause.

“Kuro, we really should get back! Lord Tsuchikage’s going to return any time soon! And now, we’re being chased by nin!” Akatsuchi instead pushed, pointing at the amounting hoard of ninja that followed behind the group. Her friend had an exasperated expression on his face.

“But-“ She tried to protest.

“Lord Tsuchikage’s not going to let us do anything when he finds out we left Iwagakure!” Her friend loyally reasoned, causing Kuro to duck her head. She could already hear her grandfather rage on and on about how grounded Kuro would be.

“I-I guess you’re right…” The girl sadly admitted, slowing to a halt. Every now and again she would have a short rebellious spark filled with antics such as chasing down misfits. And it was usually thanks to her grandfather and Akatsuchi who dimmed those sparks, such as that moment. “Fine… let’s go…” Kuro murmured, kicking the earth beneath her feet until Deidara spoke up.

“Deidara…? Time?” Mari was saying as the boy calmly walked up to the duo. He glanced at the ever approaching nin force and shrugged the threat off before redirecting his focus on the two.

“Who cares what that old geezer thinks, hm?” The boy asked with a sly grin.

“Take that back!” Akatsuchi yelled as Kuro gaped.

“You guys are just pushovers, hm.” The blonde accused with a sigh. To which Kuro and Akatsuchi blinked at him, surprised. “If you’re so worried about getting in trouble. Then just don’t get caught, hm.” He bluntly added.

“We can’t do that!” Akatsuchi argued, bunching his hands into round fists.

“Why not, hm?” The blonde passively shot back, hands on his hips as if the statement was ridiculous.

“It’s my grandfather, Lord Tsuchikage.” Kuro said next.

“So? The geezer’s teaching you guys to be the next Tsuchikage, hm? And at this rate, you’ll be a pushover of a kage if you keep doing everything he says.” Deidara simply stated, mouth in a firm line as he spun on his heel and walked away with Mari. Kuro and Akatsuchi looked at his shrinking back, then each other. Slowly, Akatsuchi grabbed her hand and attempted to pull her away.

“Come on, Kuro. We should go.” Her friend was saying, but the girl was rooted in deep thought. Her spark had been put out, indeed. However, it had cooled into hard stone. A stone which lodged itself in Kurotsuchi’s gut, and though the forces of her mind tried to dislodge it. The stone would not budge. This was a stone her grandfather knew too well after all. A will of stone every Tsuchikage had known.

“…Wait up!” Kurotsuchi eagerly called out to the two kids, effortlessly dragging Akatsuchi with her as the nin nipped at their tails. Deidara’s blue eyes met hers as the two new additions joined their escape. She remembered the brilliant smile he gave her so well.

———

Deidara and Mari led them out of Iwagakure. Shrugging off Akatsuchi’s worries along the way. They had never left the village without Onoki’s supervision before. So, it was a surprise when the blonde navigated pass hills and mountains to a small cave entrance. Without hesitation, he and Mari slid down into the opening. Kuro and Akatsuchi following if not a little unsure.

The sight that greeted them was breathtaking.

“Woah…” Kurotsuchi gasped, looking around in wonder at the spacious cave that surrounded them. Smooth stone walls decorated with vibrant colours and crystals. Clay sculptures guarding the area. So lifelike, it almost felt like falling into another world entirely.

“Welcome to the cave.” Mari jadedly greeted, crouching next to a set of colourful paints.

“Our secret hideout, hm!” Deidara added with a spin, consequently tripping over a pile of raw clay. Causing Mari to laugh at his expense.

“How’d you guys come across this place?” Akatsuchi questioned, also stunned by the cave’s beauty.

“It’s been in the family for decades, hm. Was supposed to be a place where we could blow stuff up in peace. But, no one ended up actually using it for that and kept bombing the village. So, the place was relatively abandoned until we turned it into a hideout, hm.” Deidara detailed, inspecting some of the smaller statues.

‘Family? You’re related?” Kuro asked, surprised. Quickly looking from Deidara’s blonde hair and blue eyes to Mari’s black hair and swampy brown ones.

“We’re twins, hm.” Deidara cooly gestured, though he tensed as if anticipating something.

“But, I’m older.” Mari clarified with a smirk, to which her brother rolled his eyes. As if silently saying, ‘there it is.’

“Only by four minutes.” He muttered while rubbing clay between his fingers. “I take after our Dad, she takes after Mom.” The blonde continued, winking at the clay figurine he moulded into a bird.

“Cool.” Akatsuchi replied, nodding.

“Wait, so you made all of this?” Kurotsuchi asked, amazed at their artistic abilities.

“Yup, every little part was us. Though, someone hasn’t been around as much lately.” Deidara sassed, glancing at a scoffing Mari.

“There’s nothing left to do.” She yawned, stretching her arms.

“That’s because you’re a weirdo who doesn’t like blowing up your old stuff to make room for more.” The blonde shot back, putting the final finesses on the bird.

“Art is a living memory that should be kept around for as long as possible.” Mari preached while admiring her own work.

“I don’t get your sense of ‘art’, sis.” Deidara drawled, throwing the bird up in the air. A maniacal glint shown in his eye as he raised his hands. “Art, is an explosion, hm!” The blonde yelled, and with a small explosion the clay was blown to bits. Kurotsuchi had to duck to avoid the flying debris. “Seriously, how do you not find that exciting, hm?” He quipped as an afterthought.

“Exploding clan, eh?” Akatsuchi noted with interest.

“You bet, hm!” Deidara proudly exclaimed.

“Are you entering the academy too?” Kuro asked, sitting on a flat stone. Getting a bubbly but silent nod in turn, the boy had already turned to a new project. “…Me and Akatsuchi are really excited to start beating the other villages up, you?” She probed.

“Explosion Corps.” The twins simultaneously answered. Akatsuchi carried on upon seeing Kuro’s inquisitive look.

“Most people with the explosion kekkei genkai go into-“ He helpfully started.

“Everyone in our clan goes into the Explosion Corps, it’s like the law… yay…” Mari finished with false enthusiasm .

“I for one, am looking forward to finally getting to explode something and not get yelled at, hm.” Deidara commentated before breaking out into chuckles. For some reason she couldn’t place, his answer disappointed Kurotsuchi.

“What about genin teams?” Kurotsuchi asked with hope in her heart.

“Don’t really care, hm. Me and Mari are just going to get put with a bunch of idiots-“ Deidara began with a nonchalant shrug, not pausing his work.

“-Yourself included.” Mari teased which started a comical squabble between the siblings. Kurotsuchi watched the exchange while biting her lip. She turned to Akatsuchi, who awkwardly shifted around on his feet. Kuro wondered if she could ask Onoki for a favour, the first of many ideas beginning to solidify in her head.

Chapter Text

“Listen up and listen good, brats!” The Tsuchikage yelled in his genin team’s faces like a drill sergeant. Onoki proceeded to haughtily lecture the trio composed of Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, and Deidara. Though, only Akatsuchi paid any meaningful attention. The boy’s teammates were instead quietly conversing with bored expressions.

“You really got the old man to rig the teams for us, hm?” The blonde asked, impressed. 

“He really wasn’t hard to convince,” Kuro replied with a scheming laugh. The three wouldn’t have been able to team up without Onoki’s strong intervention in the Academy process. Akatsuchi had her eleven-year-old self beat by two years, while Deidara was only twelve. But, that little difference was easily waived with rearranging the genin teams and bumping Kuro up a year.

“Lord Tsuchikage is talking.” Akatsuchi chastised.

“More like yapping, hm.” Deidara joked, messing with his forehead protector.

Onoki initially disapproved of the blonde and how he influenced Kurotsuchi’s rebellious tendencies. At first, the elder tried to lock Kuro and Akatsuchi up in arduous training sessions. Fortunately for the kids, Kuro didn’t need any prompting to leave on her own. While a hesitant Akatsuchi always followed, unable to prevent her from ditching.

However, the trio’s antics around Iwagakure quickly caused the Tsuchikage to warm up to Deidara. Deep inside, it was obvious Onoki cared for the brats in his own way.

“I said pay attention!” The elder hollered upon noticing their preoccupied positions.

“Whatever do you mean gramps?” Kurotsuchi innocently inquired, drawing her head back.

“We’ve been listening the entire time, hm. I bet you’re just going senile, hm.” The blonde additionally quipped with a grin. Not even Akatsuchi could hide his small smile from the Tsuchikage’s rampant outburst. While Onoki continued to rant on and on, Deidara noticed another team walking out of the academy. He spotted Mari among them. Proceeding to raise his arm with a cocky grin.

Mari noticed her brother’s antics and returned a sly smile. She then gestured to her genin teammates and playfully rolled her eyes. Deidara noted they were both from the Koton clan, one of the more powerful clans in Iwagakure. A tall boy stood to Mari’s left, and Deidara nearly choked of laughter upon realizing he was Kai - the Koton clan heir.

“I pity you.” She saw Deidara mouth to his sister.

“No, you don’t.” Mari silently signed with a flippant mood to her.

“Deidara!” Onoki snapped simultaneously with Mari’s mentor calling her name. Both exploding clan genin immediately straightened. Though, not before the siblings shared a smug look between them. Kurotsuchi smiled at the exchange before genuinely listening to the old man’s information about their mission.

It would be their first mission as Team Onoki.

———

Four years passed, and they were all given a surprise announcement. Somehow, Mari of the exploding clan and Kai Koton had fallen in love and were to be married. She distinctly remembered the shocked look on Deidara’s face upon finding out the news. His mouth was slightly agape, his eyes veiled in what could only be confusion. Kurotsuchi had needed to smack him on the head to snap the teenager out of his daze.

“You look like a fool.” Mari had lightheartedly commented with her hand tightly clasped in Kai’s. Deidara huffed at the remark before narrowing his eyes at the young couple.

“Are you sure about this, Mari? It’s a little early for this sort of thing, hm. You’re both only sixteen, hm.” The blonde boy criticized with barely restrained disapproval in his voice. In turn, his sister’s posture grew stiff and she turned away from him.

“We’re quite dedicated to each other, aren’t we, Kai?” Mari scoffed. In response, Kai smirked and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. Deidara’s eye twitched, and with a scowl, he marched down the street.

Later, Kurotsuchi found Deidara sitting at the edge of the wedding reception. He had a sombre expression on his normally bright face. And she felt a pang of worry for her jounin teammate. Though, Team Onoki was officially disbanded. Deidara had been inducted into the Explosion Corps soon after their team became chunin. Mari had been offered the same position. But, she’d refused, too enthralled in a bubbling relationship with Kai. Kurotsuchi recalled Deidara being quite upset at that particular snippet of news. He had spent a whole day blowing boulders up in the fields.

Anyways, despite Team Onoki’s disbandment the three jounin often found time to go on missions together. The Tsuchikage seemed particularly convinced that they worked better as a trio. And well, no one was complaining even if said missions were as simple as patrols.

“Deidara.” Kurotsuchi alerted, carefully sitting next to him on the Koton household’s pristine steps.

“Kuro, hm.” The blonde quietly responded while fiddling with a piece of clay.

“You alright?” She asked, looking behind them to see the radiant couple greeting their various crowds upon crowds of guests. Though, it appeared that Kai was doing more of the talking. However, Mari seemed content with such an arrangement. A soft smile stretched across her lips. Her hair was tightly knotted behind her head and she spun in fancy silk apparel.

The once apathetic girl seemed happy.

Kurotsuchi supposed her blonde teammate was having trouble accepting that.

“Yeah, hm.” He muttered, stabbing the clay with a kunai. Deidara glanced over his shoulder to see Mari staring at them. There was a hopeful curl on the older girl’s face. “This isn’t a good idea.” The blonde mouthed and scowled when Mari merely tilted her head, perplexed.

“Mari looks happy.” Kurotsuchi tried to say while awkwardly folding her hands over her lap.

“She… does, hm,” Deidara grumbled. A moment passed with only the sound of the reception filling the void. Suddenly, her friend stood and chucked the clay down the stairs. “Dammit!” He snapped at the night sky. She watched his rage with an unflinching expression on her face, allowing the boy to get it out of his system before engaging.

“You really don’t like him.” It wasn’t a question.

“Hm, I just-he’s just-he’s horrible!” Deidara hissed, kicking at the stone beneath their feet. Afterwards, he stormed off into the village. Kurotsuchi watched him leave with concern painted over her features, and wondered what about Kai annoyed the boy so. She listened as the smoke from an explosion fogged up the stars.

———

Some more months came and went. Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi casually made their way back towards Iwagakure. The former of which held their mission’s purpose safely in her pack. A thief had miraculously infiltrated Onoki’s office and had made off with a certain valuable. One that the Tsuchikage insisted they retrieve at all costs. Luckily, the thief hadn’t been particularly skilled in things unrelated to stealth. So, the duo had done quick work of them and was returning.

“Wonder if Deidara’s back from that bandit report yet?” Kurotsuchi idly chattered as she kicked a pebble along the trails.

“Probably, it’s Deidara we’re talking about. He probably blew their entire base up while laughing.” Akatsuchi replied with a hearty chuckle, which she swiftly joined, allowing their voices to fly in the wind.

“-Then dragged their leader all the way back while describing how amazing it was destroying them,” Kurotsuchi added, increasing their laughs.

They entered Iwagakure still giggling, and Kurotsuchi bid her teammate goodbye as she delivered her report to Onoki. As she jogged through the familiar setting, the jounin couldn’t help but grin at the peacefully pleasant atmosphere. Children laughed in the corners, citizens went in and out of shops without issue, and couples roamed the streets. Kurotsuchi much preferred such activities over the painfully complex drama of the clans and Tsuchikage.

“Kuro, hm!” Deidara called out to her as she approached Onoki’s office. His bright blue eyes shimmered in the light like a clear sunny day. She smiled, waving her friend over.

“Hey! Did you just get back from the bandits!” Kurotsuchi questioned, playfully punching him in the shoulder.

“Yup, hm!” He confirmed, taking a swing at her in turn, which she skillfully dodged. “Made it go sky-high in a glorious display! Art is an-“ Deidara started before she interrupted with a smirk.

“-Explosion, yadda, yadda. We’ve all heard it before!” The black-haired teen sassed as he artfully avoided her kick.

“You steal back the old man’s junk, hm?” He asked as they play-fought through the hallway.

“Wasn’t even hard! I still can’t believe the fossil let that guy get away with it in the first place.” Kurotsuchi teasingly mocked.

“You should tell him that, hm!” Deidara encouraged with stars in his eyes. She eagerly nodded as they approached her grandfather’s office. However, Deidara stilled upon seeing another duo approach from the other hallway. “Mari?” He asked-

Whispers…

Shouting…

Screaming…

Explosions…

Everything was wrong…

Mari and Kai were dead…

Suddenly Deidara was a missing-nin.

And Iwagakure smelled of ashes and soot. 

Chapter Text

“-Kuro? Kuro?” She blinked as Akatsuchi waved his hand in front of her face.

“I’m sorry, what?” Kuro dumbly asked after shaking her head free of painfully longing memories. The older of the two sighed and repeated his question. He motioned to the quaint tea shop they stood in front of.

“I was asking if you wanted to take the lead here?” Her friend plainly explained. Kurotsuchi took a moment to process his words and remember what exactly their goal was. The group had split upon reaching a small town near the mountain their reports were from. Everyone was tasked with gathering information from the people before they would rendezvous near the mountain’s base. Kuro and Akatsuchi had decided to visit a popular tea shop to scout out any useful knowledge, which lead to their current dilemma.

“I will, thanks.” Kuro sagely nodded and checked to make sure they were alone. From what they’d heard, “Tea with Hiroto” was popular among the villagers. However, since the village was quite small there weren’t too many occupants. Which was fortunate for the pair who conversed outside its doors. “Okay, we’re just a couple of tourists interested in exploring the caves. Hopefully, the people inside will spill where Kiri’s teams went last time.” She outlined, causing Akatsuchi to nod. The duo had changed out of their distinctly Iwagakure uniforms and strolled inside the shop wearing casual apparel.

“Smells nice,” Akatsuchi commented as the deep scent of sweet flowers and earthy grains smacked their noses.

“A little cramped.” Kuro coughed as they sat near a more densely populated table. Instantly, the sound of endless chatter greeted them. She noncommittally read through the surprisingly detailed menu as a waiter approached. “Matcha Green Tea, for me please.” The young woman quietly requested.

“I’ll take the same,” Akatsuchi added. The waiter happily nodded and skipped away, orders in hand. Afterwards, Kuro tilted her head back to indicate the table behind them, silently signalling to begin their task.

“Oi, you two travellers?” One of the patrons at the other table loudly quizzed before they could talk.

“Yes…” Kuro slowly answered, sharing a wary glance with her partner. “What gave it away?” She questioned in what was supposed to be a friendly voice. Though, Akatsuchi’s eye twitch showed that her acting skills were sorely lacking.

“We don’t usually see many foreigners around these parts! The last couple were travellers, so we sort of guessed.” The patron explained with a laugh, fortunately, deaf to Kuro’s off tone.

“And we were right!” One of the patron’s companions cheered with a wide smile.

“Well, could you guys share a few things with us? We’re thinking of exploring the mountains and heard there were some neat caves up there.” Akatsuchi popped in, his little smile coming through much more naturally.

Immediately, the other table stiffened.

“The caves, eh? I wouldn’t really go there if I were you. My uncle worked in the mountains and he told me he hears voices in those caves.” An older patron warned, gripping her teacup with a serious expression.

“Voices?” Kuro curiously prompted, resting her head in her hands.

“Your uncle’s crazy, Mai. We all know that. Don’t you remember when he nearly ran down Miss Hana claiming there were ghosts in his house?” The girl’s friend nonchalantly waved off. “Speaking of, if you two really want to visit those caves you should speak with Miss Hana. She knows the mountain a lot better than any of us in town.” They helpfully added while leaning back.

“Do all travellers get sent to Miss Hana?” Kuro pressed with a glint in her eyes.

“Eh, I guess so.” They responded with a shrug.

“Where can we find Miss Hana?” Akatsuchi asked while grabbing some paper to write on. The waiter returned with their teas as the patrons continued to direct them on Miss Hana’s usual whereabouts.

“Bitter!” Kuro choked while spitting the tea back into her cup. Nearby, her friend was doing the same, albeit more subtly. Later, after cleaning their tongues they met up with the others. To her disappointment, Ao and Onoki were squabbling once more. The two old men traded insult after insult about their respective villages. Chojuro appeared to be attempting to diffuse said argument. While the scouts watched from the shadows, twiddling their thumbs.

“I’ll have you know-“ Her grandfather was saying when she loudly coughed.

“Gramps, we have a lead. Come on.” Kuro explained, motioning with her head for everyone to follow.

———

Apparently, everyone in the village directed them to Miss Hana. According to the tea shop’s patrons, she lived a way up on the mountain. Many of the villagers had tried persuading her to move away from her isolated cottage. But, the young woman had always refused with some candid remark or another. Fortunately for them, living on the forested mountain had gifted Miss Hana a deeper knowledge of its layout.

As they walked up the steep mountain trails, Kuro noticed a humble wooden sign marking a crossroad. A pointer hung to the left, the word ‘Hana’ carved deep into it. They travelled further and came across a sizeable clearing with a small home in its middle. Light fell over the area, giving it a warm glow. A small pond rested nearby, and smaller birds perched around it. Most notable, however, was the hunched over figure in front of the cottage.

“A-Ao and I can take the lead on this one. If that’s okay?” Chojuro politely offered, pointing at his Kirigakure headband for emphasis. Kuro started to nod, acknowledging that Miss Hana would likely be more receptive to the local nin of her land.

“It’s the obvious path. You don’t need to ask.” Ao sternly retorted, grabbing the younger male’s arm as they approached Miss Hana. “Excuse me, are you Hana?” He asked while straightening his back. The woman turned and Kuro was briefly blinded by her apparent beauty. She wore a loose, light green dress with lotus patterns embroidered onto the fabric. Her long ebony hair was woven into delicate braids that slept against her neck. It was as if she were straight out of a storybook.

“Yes, that’s me.” Miss Hana affirmed with a soft melody-like laugh. “I was just working in the garden. Can I help you folks with anything?” She amiably asked, motioning with graceful movements to their entire group.

“We have a few questions we’d like to ask you - about the mountain and some previous visitors you may’ve met with. Would that be alright?” Ao diplomatically instructed, folding his arms behind his back.

“Oh, of course! I’d be happy to! Please, come in! Would anyone like some tea!” Miss Hana graciously acted, hurrying to open her cottage. After a brief discussion, they decided that the scouts would stay outside while the rest joined Miss Hana. Who in turn, revealed herself to be a very chatty individual. She pranced around her seating area talking about all sorts of subjects, fiddling with her flora and watercolours before setting tea on the table.

“Bitter!” Onoki, Chojuro, and Ao sputtered after sipping Hana’s tea. Kuro and Akatsuchi amusedly watched from the side, having wisely abstained.

“Why, you certainly aren’t the first who’ve visited me these last couple of weeks! I was so very worried when I didn’t see those last two groups return. I suppose something amiss has occurred then…” Miss Hana bemoaned, wiping a tear from her golden eyes.

“T-That’s actually why we’re here… to investigate.” Chojuro bumbled, to which Ao sent him a look of stark disapproval.

“So, it would be of great help if you could tell us where our comrades went. They were exploring the nearby cave system. And, we’re assuming they came to you for directions.” The older Kiri nin explained, leaning forward.

“Oh my, I see!” Miss Hana cried, cupping her hands over her mouth.

“S-so they did come to you?” Chojuro asked, unsurely patting the woman on the shoulder.

“Y-yes… they did. It was about the strange noises coming from the caves. I thought they could help stop them and told them where to find the tunnel entrance. But, instead, I’ve brought great misfortune!” Miss Hana mourned, falling into a wooden chair.

“H-Hey, don’t blame yourself, miss.” Chojuro tried to comfort, looking a tad uncomfortable himself.

“Could you tell us where they headed off to?” Ao pushed, his lips a thin line.

“I don’t know. I just couldn’t bear learning any of you disappeared as well.” Miss Hana deflected, holding her elbow in a worried gesture.

“We need to know what happened to our comrades. And to stop whatever problem they might be facing.” The eyepatch-wearing shinobi swiftly replied, empathy swirling in his visible eye. Kuro noted how he spoke in the present and not past tense. They stared each other down for a moment before Miss Hana relented.

“I-oh, alright then! Just do be careful!” She fretted, exiting her cottage to point at the trails. ”Just keep following the path and take the first right you see! The entrance is rather large, and there are these brilliant tiny bluebells nearby. So, you can’t possibly miss it!” Miss Hana guided. Afterwards, the woman lightly tugged at a strand of her hair. “Oh, but I’d make sure to keep your eyes on the path. It can be quite tricky!” She nervously suggested.

“D-do you have any i-ideas about the voices in the caves we’ve heard about?” Chojuro prodded.

“I’m so very sorry, but I don’t. I haven’t visited those caves in years.” Miss Hana shook with a slight bow.

“Okay, we’ll go going then. Thank you for your help, miss.” Ao concluded while waving for the scouts to begin moving out. Onoki grumbled about the Kiri nin taking the leadership role but followed nonetheless. Kurotsuchi lingered for a moment to speak with the older woman.

“So, why do you live so far from the village? It must be lonely all by yourself.” The Iwa kunoichi pried as Miss Hana returned to her garden.

“Ah, I hold such fond memories here… I couldn’t possibly leave!” Was the answer she received.

———

Bluebells were like the rare spots of sky visible in a storm. Of which, the cave’s looming, shadowy entrance resembled. The group assembled in front of the cave as if sizing it up. Though, it was really them waiting for the five scouts to return with a brief.

“It’s completely caved in further back. There’s no getting past it.” Umi reported after stealthily exiting. The other four scouts had more or less the same to say about the other entrances. 

“It’s like someone’s trying to keep other people out.” Kuro grimly analyzed as they began searching for another way in. “Keep an eye out for weaker sections. We might be able to punch our way through.” She ordered, sending a wry gaze at the Kiri ensemble. Of course, if it were only herself, Akatsuchi, and Onoki they’d be able to burrow without issue. But, with the water nin they had to search for alternatives.

“How about here?” A mousey-faced scout named Raion offered, tapping his knuckles against a vine-covered wall.

“Hmm…” Kuro mumbled while inspecting the area. “This could work.” She nodded, rearing her fists back to begin smashing a tunnel. However, Onoki impatiently grabbed her arm.

“Leave it to me.” He demanded and she backed away with a shrug.

“Can you handle it without falling over, old man?” Kuro quietly snarked, though the Tsuchikage didn’t react. A few hand movements later, they had a narrow tunnel leading inside the mountain.

“Let’s go.” Ao went, pushing past them to enter. Though, she’d noticed with some private amusement that he’d needed to duck to fit. Her grandfather had a spiteful twinkle in his eye as Ao grumbled about the tunnel’s height. Afterwards, the rest of the group entered, leaving a scout behind in case they encountered any problems.

It was unsurprisingly dark in the caves. However, the group was stunned to find small cracks along the walls. The thin lines glowed a soft blue and provided enough light to see.

“What are these?” Chojuro pondered after failing to stab a kunai in between.

“I don’t know, looks like some kind of crystal.” Akatsuchi guessed, trying to pry the rocks apart to get a better look.

“They don’t look bad, so let’s not stall. Let’s go further and see if D-Deidara is here or not.” Kurotsuchi pushed, disregarding the strange light as they moved on. Onoki and Ao once again started bickering about some silly topic. Meanwhile, she inwardly chastised her stutter when calling Deidara’s name.

“Kuro?” Akatsuchi quietly asked, tapping her on the shoulder.

“Yes?” She replied, pulling apart the darkness with her eyes.

“Are you alright?” He carefully whispered, so soft that only they two could hear.

“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” Kuro defensively retorted, crossing her arms in the process.

“… Are you really sure we can kill-“ Akatsuchi started before being interrupted.

“Stop. We’ve been over this before…” The kunoichi hissed, lightly jabbing him in the stomach.

“I know… But, do you really believe any of us will actually be able to do it?” Her friend brought up and Kuro stilled. Her hands were clenched at her sides in anger. She narrowed her eyes at the stone beneath them. Stone. Unyielding stone.

“It’s the least he deserves. We… we have to.” Kuro answered, shadows obscuring her face, only deepened by the cave’s claws. Suddenly, a huge tremor shook the earth and caused them to lose their footing. Onoki yelled something, and the others rushed forward. Kuro and Akatsuchi shared a solemn look. “It’s him. It’s time.” Flew through both their heads.

They ran ahead.

They didn’t really have a choice.

———

The group emerged in an expansive cavern. Water dripped down from the rocky ceiling and provided a periodic clicking. However, contrary to the dark tunnels there was a blinding light in the area. It was light from an explosion.

“Oh, look who it is, hm!” That painfully familiar voice cackled from above. Kuro directed her gaze upwards to find a figure clad in black and red. His blonde hair and blue eyes gave him away.

“Deidara!” Kuro shouted, catching the young man’s attention. His crazed smile seemed to grow even wider upon seeing his former team.

“Kuro, hm! Akatsuchi, gramps! Man, it’s good to see you guys again, hm! How’s Iwa been since I’ve been gone?” Deidara laughed, spreading his hands out across his face to reveal the grotesque mouths curling on his palms. She cringed, those mouths were from a kinjutsu he’d stolen from Iwagakure before fleeing. One that allowed Deidara to mould his chakra with his beloved art into lethal explosions.

Their defiant silence caused him to tilt his head.

“Come on guys, why the long face, hm?” Deidara pried in a long drawl. “I know! How about I show you my newest creation? Just for you!” The blonde cheerfully suggested, clay already being moulded in his palm. They collectively tensed as Deidara rained down clay birds that soared towards them. “Explosion: C1” He chanted as the birds detonated.

“Bring him down!” Onoki roared as the smoke cleared. However, a sudden gleam of metal caused the elder to duck back, just narrowly avoiding a scythe. “What?” Her grandfather snapped as he was repeatedly pushed back by the weapon. Its wielder laughed as he swung again and again, wearing the same robes as Deidara.

“Akatsuki!” Ao growled, already in a fighting stance. But, he too was ambushed by a sudden onslaught of water.

“Ao!” Chojuro yelled as he was engulfed.

“What are you two doing here?!” A shark-like man questioned while leaping out of the shadows. Instantly, Ao’s face contorted into ugly hatred.

“Kisame!” The senior Kiri nin screamed, charging the unfazed criminal. Chojuro jumped, shifting into a more serious disposition after pulling out his own sword to back Ao up. Kuro’s eyes were forced closer to earth upon noticing several other figures circle the cavern. She felt herself grow paler and paler upon recognizing them.

“Old man, duck!” Kuro shouted as she rapidly fired off-hand signals. “Lava Style: Quicklime Jutsu!” She shot behind the elder, only for the shadow behind him to dodge and reveal numerous grey tentacles. “Kakuza, and Hidan!” Kuro tensely noted the additional Akatsuki members. A shadow fell over her and she quickly somersaulted backwards to avoid another explosion.

“Isn’t it amazing, Kuro?! Art is an explosion!” Deidara cackled from on a clay bird that followed her towards the cavern’s edge. She saw Akatsuchi and Onoki approach in order to join the fight, the scouts preoccupied with the scythe wielder. The kunoichi swiftly shook her head at them.

“Go help the others! I’ll take care of Deidara!” Kuro ordered, her razor-sharp gaze forcing them to action.

“That’s real funny, hm.” The smirking blonde retorted. A moment passed before they engaged. “Explosion: C1” He unleashed, sending an army of small white spiders towards her. Kuro pivoted into the air with a determined scowl.

“Earth Release: Opening Earth Rising Excavation!” She pulled, bringing multiple stone pillars up to launch the arachnids back at Deidara. Kuro then directed the pillars towards him in an attempt to knock his mount away. Though, the missing-nin merely chuckled and raised his own arms up.

“Explosion Release: Landmine Fist!” Deidara attacked, punching the racing pillars and blowing them to pieces. Kuro dropped to her stomach to avoid the sharp storm. Afterwards, she leaped against the wall and began firing quicklime at him. He tried to maneuver the bird out of harm’s reach, but one of the shots stuck against the bird’s bottom and causes it to tither. While Deidara was distracted by the sudden upheaval, Kuro brought a slab of stone out and hopped on it. She used the stone to launch herself up at the clay bird and deliver a punch to Deidara’s jaw.

“Lava Release: Ash Stone Seal Technique!” Kuro side-stepped, summoning ash from her mouth that circled the bird. Deidara frowned, proceeding to jump off his vessel to the ground below. However, as he fell he brought his hands together.

“Explosion: C2” Deidara threatened, and Kuro barely leapt away herself to avoid the exploding bird. She staggered upon landing, yet quickly brought a kunai to meet Deidara’s bird. Though, the kunoichi was further blown back by the imminent explosion. She heard a faint gasp and turned, eyes widening upon seeing one of the scouts bleeding out on the floor. A gaping hole burrowed on the scout’s chest, with Kakuza’s many tendrils encircling them.

“Ha! Would’ve been better with an explosion-“ Deidara chuckled upon seeing the same sight. And Kurotsuchi was filled with a quick fury.

“Mari wouldn’t have wanted this!” Kuro blurted out without thinking. Though, her former teammate’s reaction caused her to reel. A look of genuine confusion fluttered over his face as he paused.

“Who, hm?” Deidara questioned, smile fading. Though, his eye visibly twitched as he spoke. Kuro took a horrified step backwards, but the sound of sizzling caused her to jump away. However, the sizzling followed wherever she went.

“Landmines!” Kuro realized with frightening clarity. But, her thoughts were interrupted when the ground exploded, sending her crashing against the cold cavern wall. Kuro coughed, forcing herself into an upright position. Through her pained gaze, she saw the others managing to hold the Akatsuki off. But, it was hard-fought. They were all too busy to come help her.

“Dammit…” Kuro whispered as she tried in vain to gather her wits in time.

“Kuro!” Someone yelled, Onoki, Akatsuchi maybe?

“Now this… will make some amazing art!” Deidara taunted as he walked towards her, all three mouths leering. The kunoichi shakily rose; a slight trembling to her stance as her fingers protested the movement. However, a sense of dread was entrenching itself in her gut. Every step brought a new wave of unease. There was no way she could defend herself against the gleeful Deidara.

“DON’T YOU DARE!” Someone yelled through the chaos. Both fighters stared above.

A hooded figure jumped down into the fray.

And the entire cavern floor was blown apart.

———

“RUN! This way!” Someone was shouting, though Kurotsuchi could barely hear through the ringing in her ears. She felt someone tug on her arm and drag her away. In turn, causing the kunoichi to struggle to no avail. However, Kuro calmed down upon finding Onoki and Akatsuchi’s face facing her.

“You alright, Kuro?” Akatsuchi softly asked, and she slowly nodded. Proceeding to shake herself out of a stupor.

“What happened back there?” Kuro asked, resting a hand against her forehead.

“Deidara had you cornered while we were busy fighting the rest of Akatsuki. Then, he appeared and blew the entire cavern up. So, we all had to get out.” Akatsuchi warily explained, sending a pointed glance at the hooded figure near the back of their group. Fortunately, all of them plus the remaining three scouts were able to stay together. The hooded figure noticed their staring and approached with his arms folded.

“She good?” He checked in a gruff voice, and Kuro noticed that he seemed to be biting his tongue while speaking.

“I’m fine.” She answered for herself. “Thanks…?” Kuro added, looking the man up and down. He wore an Iwagakure uniform, the distinctive red and brown clear among the dim rocky scene. His hood was up, though strands of blond hair poked through the seams. While a pair of intense black sunglasses hid his eyes.

“No problem. Come on, we need to get to safety.” The hooded figure curtly stated and began leading the way through the tunnels. However, Ao briskly moved to stand in front of him.

“Hold on. Remove your hood. We will not blindly follow a stranger who appeared out of nowhere.” The Kiri shinobi warned, showing no signs of having fought the previous battle.

“… I’m undercover right now. So, really isn’t the best idea to reveal myself.” The hooded figure retorted, raising his hands in a placating gesture. In response, Ao turned to glance at Onoki. Who oddly enough seemed to glare into the figure’s skull with each passing second.

“Then surely Lord Tsuchikage can confirm this?” The eye-patch-wearing shinobi prodded while narrowing his visible eye.

“Listen, we really don’t have time-“ The hooded figure tried to argue, irritation lacing his voice.

“Down the tunnel. Now.” Onoki gravely nodded, indicating for her and Akatsuchi to follow.

“I-“ The hooded figure started.

“As your Tsuchikage that is an order.” Her grandfather threatened and the hooded figure scowled.

“Fine. But, make it quick.” He grumbled, reluctantly following them down, away from the other’s prying eyes. Kuro kept her distance from the stranger, suspicious of his intentions despite her earlier gratitude. Though she couldn’t quite comprehend the hatred Onoki seemed to bear against him. However, Kuro quickly understood when they were far enough from the group.

It was at that moment that the Tsuchikage speedily ripped the man’s hood down, which knocked his glasses to the side in the process.

“Deidara!” Onoki hissed with unbridled bile.

“Good to see you too, gramps, hm.” Remarked Deidara with a humourless smile.

Chapter Text

“Good to see you too, gramps, hm.” Remarked Deidara with a humourless smile. 

Kuro gaped but quickly recovered, unleashing her quicklime and trapping the blonde. The smile was wiped off Deidara’s face as his body collided with the cave’s wall. However, Deidara slowly looked at the encasing, and then back towards them. His lips curled into a nostalgic smirk.

“Some things don’t change, hm.” He muttered while trying in vain to free his hands.

“Watch out, I bet it’s a clone!” Akatsuchi warned in a grave voice, already moving to cover them should Deidara’s body explode. Steadily, the Iwa trio backed a few steps away from the blast radius. In turn, the blonde sighed while rolling his eyes. The movement was ominous yet tensely silent. A ray of blue light caught the young man’s eyes, causing them to seemingly glow among the dim tunnels.

“I’m not a clone, hm.” Deidara retorted, having moved on to using his legs to push himself out of the quicklime. Though, he may as well have been trying to wade through obsidian. A frown dirtied his face when his efforts proved futile. But, his annoyance quickly turned to panic upon seeing the weapons in his former comrade’s hands. “Hm, listen-“ Deidara squeaked, grunting as his arms pushed against the quicklime.

“Listen! You want us to listen after all you’ve done?!” Onoki roared, stomping on the rock beneath his feet. Kuro and Akatsuchi held similar expressions of judgement. Cracks thundered like lightning, and the blonde flinched at the elder’s words. Oddly enough, they weren’t attacking even though he was practically at their mercy.

“Gramps! It’s not-“ Deidara tried to say, a flash of hurt seeping into his features. But, the elder pressed forward as if he hadn’t spoken at all.

“How many villages? How many people have you killed while laughing? How many of us did you slaughter with a smile?!” The Tsuchikage furiously ranted, Kuro mutely pondered if the water nin could hear her grandfather’s shouts. However, her attention was captured when Deidara snarled.

“THAT WASN’T ME!” He snapped, face contorting into pure malice. Destructive flames danced behind his eyes. The tunnel was silent.

“What…?” Kuro whispered, reeling her head back. “We… literally, saw you during the fight! You were fighting me!” She shrieked, marching right next to her grandfather despite Akatsuchi’s attempts to hold her back. Deidara cringed at her tone, at the pain underlying her voice.

“Okay, well it was sort of me, hm! But, it wasn’t!” The blonde rapidly spat out. At their dubious looks and slight glints of metal from behind their backs, he hurriedly continued. “This cave is weird, hm! I think it’s some old artifact or something but it… copies people… hm…” Deidara trailed off as Kuro sharply glared at him.

“Do you think we’re fools?” She said so deathly quiet it could’ve been the wind. Her face was veiled in a heavy shadow, her trembling arms were pressed against her sides.

“Kuro…” Her former friend started before she cut him off.

“Don’t,” Kuro whispered, resisting the urge to slap him. She could feel the boiling rage in her build and build. She could feel it climbing through her blood and out her skin in a volcanic aura, like a bomb ready to explode. “You lost the right… the right to act like this when you left us” The kunoichi lashed out, her fists red from how tightly she balled them.

“I-“ He tried to interrupt.

“And after that, you have the damn nerve to pretend-“ Kuro seethed only for him to cut in, his lips morphed into a scowl.

“KURO! That’s not me! I’m not him… I AM SANE! Do you think that bastard would go this long without blowing the tunnel up already, hm?” Deidara heatedly argued, hate flowing from his words. “I’m the Deidara from before Mari died…” He hissed in a coarse voice, head slowly dropping with shame.

“And… who’s Mari… again?” She questioned, drawing perplexed looks from Akatsuchi and Onoki.

“Mari… my amazing older sister, hm. She… died the day I left Iwagakure…” Deidara sorrowfully answered, unravelling his hands to reveal barren skin.

“No kinjutsu!” Akatsuchi gasped, unable to stop himself from taking a step forward.

“He’s not lying… he’s not lying!” Kuro shouted, instantly breaking the quicklime and wrestling the blonde into a bone-crushing embrace. “It’s really you!” She yelled, a giddy smile spreading across her features. Akatsuchi and Onoki shared a suspicious glance before shrugging. Perhaps they too wanted to believe in miracles at that moment.

“But how…?” Onoki breathed out, moving to stand in front of the blonde. Though, the joy that had mirrored itself on Deidara’s face quickly gave way to concern.

“I’ll explain later, hm. But right now we need to hurry it up, hm! They’re getting better at navigating.” He warned, giving the old man a light shove. Afterwards, the three unsurely followed their old comrade back through the tunnels.

“By ‘they’ you mean Akatsuki?” Onoki pointedly asked with narrowed eyes.

“Yeah, gramps. Has old age dulled your mind so much that I need to spell everything out, hm?” Deidara smirked, a light cackle escaping his lips. Kuro and Akatsuchi tensed but were able to stop a similar reaction. Though, the elder simply scoffed.

“Not again… My granddaughter’s bad enough…” The Tsuchikage grumbled while crossing his arms. In turn, Deidara’s eye twinkled.

“Good job keeping the fossil in check, Kuro, hm!” He brightly quipped. The kunoichi maintained an aura of dignity about her; she warmly smiled nonetheless.

———

“He’s good.” They curtly told the curious Kirigakure team, who’d been about to charge the tunnel after hearing their previous shouts. Deidara had a hood and sunglasses back on to obscure his face. Though, Kuro silently laughed as she realized how he physically struggled to not ‘hm’ in every sentence. Kuro felt lighter than air as if she were flying through clear skies in those mountain depths. The relief of having her dear friend back was so great.

“H-How long have you been down here?” Chojuro innocently questioned as they walked.

“Few weeks.” Deidara curtly answered, quickening his pace while forcing them to follow along. He seemed bothered by something, though she couldn’t place what that something was. His cheer has quickly evaporated the closer they got to the water nin into a brashness.

“That means you’ve known Akatsuki has been here for quite some time. Why haven’t you already reported their presence?” Ao suspiciously interrogated, blatantly not trusting Kuro and her company’s word.

“I have my reasons. Right… Lord Tsuchikage.” Deidara coughed, loath to refer to Onoki by his Kage status.

“Indeed.” The elder parried with an eager smirk. After some time, her blonde-haired friend suddenly paused near a bend in the tunnel. Slowly, he turned towards them with a slightly tense posture. Kuro tilted her head, wondering why Deidara was nervous. She presumed it was fear that the Kiri nin would discover his identity. The blonde let his arms fall limp as he spoke.

“Okay, before we go in, h-heh.” Deidara bit his tongue at the near-slip up. “Before… we go. You’re going to see some pretty shocking things. And, I’m saying right now that it’s not what you think it is. What ‘it’ is I will explain as long as everyone stays calm. Got it?” He lectured, gaining both intrigue and distrust from the Kiri nin. It was good to note that the blonde was specifically looking at said Kiri nin.

“Y-You trust him, right?” Chojuro repeated to Kuro, who resolutely nodded.

“Go on, boy,” Onoki ordered, and Deidara nodded with a scoff. However, before they even made it five steps a chilling, boisterous bellow stormed down the tunnels. They froze, and before anyone could blink Ao was charging down the shadows.

“Hey!” Deidara shouted, but was pushed aside in the older shinobi’s haste. “Dammit, bloody mist!” The blonde muttered under his breath before giving chase, the rest quick to follow. Kuro was briefly blinded by a pulsing light before feeling something wet beneath her feet. She looked down to find a growing stream of water flowing past them.

“It’s a trap!” Ao was shouting, his gaze locked on another figure. 

“Oh, come on! I’m not that bad!” They grumbled with a disappointed sigh, revealing shark-like teeth.

“Kisame?!” Kuro and many others found themselves gasping. Her eyes slowly traversed the cavern they now occupied, finding various other Akatsuki members staring them down. A spike of fear reverberated through her spine, and she felt tense. Her hand instinctively curled into hand signs before she realized their enemy wasn’t engaging. Instead, they had weapons ready but no hint of bloodlust or malice; they looked almost bored. She felt her heartbeat returning to a normal pace. Afterwards, the kunoichi picked up that the Akatsuki were missing their distinct cloaks and were all dressed in their former villages’ uniforms.

“Wait…?” Kuro mouthed, slowly comprehending the situation.

“STOP! STOP! CALM! I said to stay calm!” Deidara’s exasperated shouts drew her attention. Unfortunately, Ao was more focused on slaying Kisame than arguing with him. In a snap decision, Deidara glanced from her to them and ripped his hood and glasses off. The blue-haired shinobi abruptly paused, head comically taking him in. The moment lasted a second before he turned to her.

“Iwa! You knew?!” Ao accused, the skin around his visible eye scrunched up in anger.

“Here we go again, hm,” Deidara grumbled before she answered.

“Yes, we did.” Kuro diplomatically responded, folding her hands behind her back.

“And you were foolish enough to-“ Raion, the scout yelled while jumping into a fighting stance. Though, he was silenced by her unforgiving glare.

“As of now that Deidara is a separate person from the one who stands in front of us now. This Deidara, I wholeheartedly trust with my life.” She passionately declared, lifting her head high.

“Are you mad-“ Ao started before Deidara walked in front of him, his open palms in the air for all to see.

“Sane, and no kinjutsu, hm.” The blonde monotoned, rolling his eyes at the pooling shock. “Us four are in a similar situation, hm,” Deidara added, grimly motioning to the other Akatsuki members. Questions immediately bombarded him, but he waved his hands around to silence them. “I was getting to that, hm!” Deidara groaned, jogging over towards the wall. His eyes were averted to the side, oddly avoiding eye contact with his former comrades.

“Don’t even think about it.” Kuro threatened the Kiri scouts who were contemplating a backstab through sign. Deidara stood in front of one of the many blue cracks lining the cave. His hand hovered over the faint light.

“Avoid pools or breaking the walls, hm… It won’t go well for any of you…” He lectured in a resigned voice, retelling his tale…

———

*Flashback* Three weeks earlier…

“Kuro…”

“Mari…”

Deidara gasped, coughing as he stood up. Where was he? What was happening? Shadows coiled around his arms and all he could see was darkness. The shinobi didn’t feel completely there, like his mind was split. Instead, Deidara felt wet and bitingly cold. His hands hit cold stone, and he loudly exhaled a shattered breath. A hard chill slammed into his side and he fought the urge to curl in on himself. It was as if the wind were knives stabbing into his flesh. He felt fragile.

“-damn, why does that-“ Someone asked in a scratchy voice, and Deidara squeezed his eyes shut. Suddenly, a nauseating headache overcame him and he went still like ice.

———

A moment passed before he could see, beads of colour fluttering into his vision. However, when the shinobi came to he was no longer in the cave. Deidara was… walking? A slither of confusion leaked into his mind. After which he attempted to move his arm only to mentally yelp.

“Is that a mouth?!”  Deidara incredulously exclaimed. Only, his voice was muted. At that, he realized he wasn’t in control of his own body. The only thing he seemed able to do was watch and ponder. Reluctantly, Deidara pushed his worry away to try and figure out what was going on. Though, his thoughts froze when his body walked near a clear stream. His reflection stared back at him in frightening clarity with a lopsided, mad smirk. There was a crazed gleam in his eyes and a twitch wracked his dishevelled limbs.

“What to do now, hm? What should I make?” His lips moved on their own, stunning him with the glee in his voice.

“That’s me?” Deidara blearily wondered, wincing as his mind began to burn. He cursed as memory after memory overlapped. Yet as they did, grief similarly began to build. “Dammit! Stop! Don’t-“ He would cry at every crime his body, no, his other self committed. Deidara could only watch, helpless as they destroyed and burned and exploded before everything turned ashen black.

———

They were still talking when Deidara finally snapped awake. His pale hand immediately flew to a sweaty forehead. Confusion muddled with guilt. However, a voice that he was both painfully familiar and deaf too struck him. Ever so slowly, with the last of the memories pulsing through Deidara’s brain, he turned. Staring down at him, was his other-self. A curious look painted over the mad blonde’s features.

The Deidara clad in a shinobi’s dress furiously snarled, staggering to his feet. He felt heavy, too heavy. A sob threatened to overcome him but he sunk the sorrowful feelings of loss deep down like pebbles in an ocean.

“DAMN YOU!” He screamed, allowing his anger to blow the cave to rubble.

*Flashback End*

———

“Akatsuki was searching for some lost artifact I think. Something about recreating the past, hm.” Deidara continued, glaring at the walls. “Crazy me stared at an open pool of this stuff and his reflection - me - came out, hm. But, I was different; a mirror version of him that wasn’t insane, hm… That happened to all of us, hm.” The young man explained, finally turning with a visible slouch.

“S-So… you’re all basically opposites of the actual Akatsuki?” Chojuro nervously asked though intrigue lined his voice.

“I guess…” The Hidan reflection shrugged. His silver hair was swept over his extremely youthful face.

“And you all disagree with what your counterparts are doing?” Ao pressed as Deidara ground his teeth together.

“Not disagree per se, but don’t see any point in getting involved…” Kakuza’s reflection grumbled while crossing his arms over each other. “Seeing our futures aren’t the same as living them. But, it’s not really our lives anymore.” He calmly explained, a sad look in his eyes. Kakuza was without his trademark body modifications the Akatsuki version wore.

“I only got here yesterday… So, I’m still figuring this all out…” Kisame explained after wandering back to his corner in the cave. Ao glanced at him suspiciously before backing off towards the main group.

“I’m… trying to kill insane me, hm.” Deidara sternly answered, flicking a small circular rock in the air. Kuro watched as his eyes seemed to hyper-focus on the mineral as he spun it at a stalactite. Around them, the others froze. In turn, causing her blonde friend to scoff. “Come on, you guys came here to do the same thing, hm? What’s the big deal if I do it?” He heatedly questioned.

“Um…” Akatsuchi was going, causing Deidara to vigorously shake his head.

“Forget it, hm! That moves onto our other problem… did you idiots make your own tunnel to get in here, hm? And, did you leave someone behind to guard it, hm…?” The shinobi asked, causing the Kiri nin to trade an alarmed look. Though, Deidara caught it and groaned, rubbing his irritated eyes.

“Why do you ask?” Onoki went, the lines of his head squished together in concentration.

“Mr. Crazy Scythe got his hands on your scout and tore them up. I found their body near the tunnel entrance and destroyed it, hm!” The blonde speedily pushed out, as if ripping off a bandage.

“WHAT?!” Raion hollered, marching up to the bomber without thinking.

“Tunnel opening, I blew the tunnel up, hm!” Deidara quickly clarified upon seeing the venom in the scout’s gaze. “S…Sorry for your loss, hm…” Deidara later tried to soothe, forcing his gaze downwards.

“Wh… where’s the body…?” The scout mumbled quietly, his eyes wide and glazed over. “I said, where’s the body?!” Raion repeated as if possessed. Surprisingly, something in her friend softened like talc at his words. But, Deidara held himself back and steadily stepped away.

“I’ll show everyone when you get out of here, hm.” He softly explained, leaning against the stone.

“Get out of here?” Kuro exclaimed, eyes contorting.

“Hm, I’m trying to stop anyone else from coming in like you idiots, or them from leaving!” Deidara shouted. “They don’t care about what happens to them, hm!” He rattled, pointing at the other reflections and then himself. “And I really don’t either… I just need to kill that bastard, hm… And, it’ll be a lot harder to do that if there are actual people in here…” Deidara finished, the sudden spark leaving him in droves. His eyes drooped. “I need to check the tunnels. Rest up, hm. Don’t kill each other…” The blonde retreated, hurriedly forcing himself down another passage before anyone could speak.

A moment passed in utter silence.

They stared at each other, and then at the various reflections of their enemies.

The reflections stared back.

Kuro gulped, awkwardly wringing her hands before nodding to her comrades. She took one shallow step towards the tunnel Deidara had vanished into, and then another. Afterwards, the kunoichi sprinted down as well.

“Deidara!” Kuro hissed, finding the blonde sitting against the wall.

“Kuro.” He greeted, eyes lighting up before diluting once again.

“Are you alright?” She asked, crouching down next to him.

“Hm, you?” The blonde deflected.

“I-What did you mean back there? That you didn’t care about what happened to you?” Kuro snapped in an accusatory voice, his face fell further if that was even possible.

“…It’s true, hm. What happens to me doesn’t really matter, hm…” Deidara sighed but continued before she could interrupt. “That guy’s insane… He’s ruined my name, hm! It’s just like Onoki said, Kuro… He murdered people…” Deidara softly bemoaned, hair hiding his face. “I’m technically not even real, hm. Just a stupid reflection of the past.” He mourned, staring at his hands as if they would shatter into glass. “I have to stop him, hm. None of this would’ve happened if I just controlled myself, dammit!” Her friend lamented, kicking a hole in a rock. Kuro stilled at his words, her face turning dramatically pale.

“… So… you remember… everything, then?” She questioned, feeling her fingers shake against her side. At that one tiny moment, a whole canvas of emotions flickered across their faces. A secret that only they two knew was passed. Deidara caught her eyes and held them there, his eyes so similar to that fateful day. She wanted to go back. A part of her thought he did too. They both wanted to change so much about that fateful day in the cave.

“Yeah… I remember, hm…” Deidara whispered like a lion in a field.

Chapter Text

*Flashback*

“You’ve been more cheerful than normal, hm,” Deidara noted through a mouthful of food. Across from him, Mari smiled as she delicately indulged her own appetite. They were eating dinner in a restaurant instead of their home for the first time in years. It helped that the owners recognized Deidara as a friend of the Tsuchikage. Thus, they wouldn’t be overpriced like the rest of their clan for their kekkei genkai.

“Have I?” Mari smirked, opening one eye as she drank some water.

“Yeah, you’ve been humming and stuff, hm. It’s weird.” Deidara complained with a playful eye roll. “How’s teaming with Koton been? Annoyingly idiotic, hm?” The blonde pried with a chuckle.

“It’s actually going pretty well.” Mari similarly chuckled. “What about you? How are Kuro and Akatsuchi?” She politely asked, though her tone was off. Deidara tapped his fingers against the table before answering.

“Good, hm. It’s great that we were put on a team, hm.” The boy energetically nodded.

“Great to have Lord Tsuchikage on your side,” Mari commented with a grim face. In turn, Deidara squinted his eyes at her.

“What’s wrong, sis, hm?” He asked, putting his elbows on the table.

“I want you to stop taking advantage of Lord Tsuchikage’s influence.” His sister explained with a stern face, her hand folded on her lap. Deidara blinked, before loudly cackling. Tears leaked from his eyes as he slapped the table. Other patrons sent him an irritated look before turning back to their own meals. Mari narrowed her eyes at him disapprovingly.

“That’s… that’s real funny, hm!” Deidara wheezed, fixing his posture. However, his sister’s face didn’t falter.

“Deidara, I mean it.” She reiterated with the hint of a scolding in her voice.

“Actually…?” The blonde muttered, humour falling from his face to reveal a plaque carved with shock. Mari tightly nodded and he gaped, slamming his palm on the table once more. “It’s not like we’re using it for anything bad, hm! It’s not right how we’re treated without it, hm! We’re treated like dirt without it!” Deidara accused with a fire in his eyes.

“It’s not right, I know.” Mari relented with a sigh, moving to stand. “However, antagonizing them will only make it worse.” She argued, motioning with her arm to the various glares they were receiving from the staff. Deidara scowled and reluctantly backed down.

“Fine, hm. I’ll stop it with those jerks. But, I’m not going to let them treat us like before, hm.” He relented. Mari sighed, tucking a stray piece of her hair away.

“It sucks, but I’m sure it’ll get better soon, and sooner if we stand down.” She steadfastly encouraged, and dragged him out of the restaurant. Though, Deidara wiggled out of her grasp upon exiting.

“Sis, you never used to care about this, hm.” The blonde complained while fixing his headband. They both ignored the stares and glares the other villagers sent their way. Deidara continued to just glare back while Mari, as usual, ignored them. However, her demeanour seemed to have a tad more hope in it than before.

“I’m tired of not caring, Deidara.” Mari vaguely explained, a smile decorating her face.

———

“I’m surprised you found a boyfriend, hm!” Deidara cackled, ducking to avoid a punch from his sister.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mari hissed while setting plates down on their table at home. She’d stopped going out to eat with him citing her stance on using Onoki’s influence. Thus, the siblings had spent less time together recently.

“One, you’re you, hm.” He dodged another blow. “Two, you said he wasn’t from our clan. So, I’m surprised there wasn’t a whole ‘clan’ issue, hm.” Deidara explained after dumping thin noodles in a bowl. Successfully pacified, Mari softly hummed while nodding. She exited the kitchen for a moment to change. Proceeding to return in a loose mint green dress. She rolled her eyes when Deidara playfully gagged at the sight.

“I was too.” Mari beamed, giving a small twirl in the room.

“You going to tell me who this guy is yet, hm?” Deidara prompted, causing her to snort.

“It’s a surprise!” Mari deflected, jumping when someone knocked on the door. “I got it!” She yelped, racing towards it. Deidara blinked, dumbly staring at the floor as he listened to Mari laugh farther away. Though, he gaped when she walked in with her surprise boyfriend.

“Kai Konto?! Mari! You’re seriously-“ Deidara angrily started but was cut off.

“I told you it’d be a surprise.” Mari chuckled as the couple sat down.

“Didn’t expect it to be unpleasant.” The blonde mentally insulted, glumly taking his own seat. Deidara fought a glare off his face for his sister’s sake. Though, throughout dinner, he couldn’t help harshly stabbing each piece of pork.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Kai cheerfully greeted, revealing a charming smile as he spoke. Deidara’s eye twitched as he answered.

“Same… dude…?” The blonde nodded, hiding his clenching fists under the table. “So… you and Mari… are on the same genin team?” He questioned through clenched teeth. Mari melted as Kai took the lead in the conversation.

“Why yes! It was rocky at first, clan drama and all. But she eventually fell for my charm.” Kai chuckled, wrapping his arm around Mari. Deidara paused, taking the sight in. He wanted to barf. “We’ve been quite successful together with my clanmate. You’ve heard?” The other boy inquired after swallowing, sending a warm look to Mari who returned it in full force.

“I… have.” Deidara nodded, a smirk coming to his lips. “You guys scored second behind our team, hm?” He nonchalantly noted, causing Kai’s bright expression to falter. Though, Mari kicked him under the table, which he ignored.

“Yes… It must be nice having Lord Tsuchikage as your mentor.” Kai sassed, weaving a hand through his greasy hair.

“It is, hm. Especially when your teammates are his pupils, hm.” Deidara snarked, disliking the undertone to the Koton’s voice.

“Mhm, having Lord Tsuchikage to bail you guys out of any troubles. I’m just saying-“ Kai pushed, causing Deidara to mentally scoff.

“Ha! The old fossil bailing us out? If anything we need to bail him out most of the time! I got to tell this to Kuro later-“ He smirked before Mari abruptly stood and cleaned off her dress. She sent a polite smile to both of them.

“Let’s not get into an argument, alright boys? Now, I’m going to step out. And when I come back you two better get along.” Mari scolded, pointedly looking at her brother to his outrage and Kai’s satisfaction. “Stop trying to cause a fight.” She quietly threatened him as she left with a huff.

“Me?!” Deidara mouthed before finally glaring at a grinning Kai. “I don’t like you, hm.” He insulted, pointing his chin up.

“I could care less about what some lowlife from the exploding clan thinks.” Kai hissed, narrowing his eyes into a judgmental glare. Deidara blinked before arching forward, grunting.

“You realize that my sister is from the same clan, right? He questioned, his hands itching to blow the guy’s face up. Though, Kai merely scoffed in response. “What’s your deal, man, hm?” Deidara interrogated, his chair falling to the ground.

“She has a pretty face… and will hopefully get the elders off my back about getting a wife when that time comes.” Kai casually detailed, spitting their cooking out. “You’re a horrible cook, though I wasn’t expecting it to be this bad.” He insulted, as if personally offended. Deidara hopped the table to stand next to the other boy, baring his teeth.

“How in the world did Mari fall for you, hm? You’re horrible, hm!” He exclaimed, stray sparks escaping from his fingertips.

“Personally, I have no idea or care. I told her that I had no expectations of her and that seemed to do it. Though, it’s working out for me so I don’t have to commit to anything.” Kai nonchalantly droned on as if bored. Deidara felt a boiling rage pile up and his face turned red. He raised his fist to attack the Koton boy before Mari shrieked.

“What are you doing?!” She yelled, forcing him off Kai. “I’m so sorry, are you okay?” Mari asked her boyfriend, who somehow shifted into an innocent facade.

“F-Fine!” He reassured, taking Mari into a tight embrace. Deidara could only watch, shocked as Kai sent him a victorious smirk. From there on, whenever Mari wasn’t around the Koton would give him that same leer.

When they crossed paths during missions…

When they saw each other in town…

When Kai came to pick Mari up from their clan…

When Mari married him…

When they saw each other in Onoki’s office that fateful day…

———

“Mari?” Deidara blinked as he saw his sister approach Onoki’s office with Kai.

“Hey, Deidara.” Mari softly smiled, though there was an awkward air between them. “What are you and Kuro doing here?” She politely prodded as they stood outside the door. Her arm was intertwined with Kai’s. Whose other arm was preoccupied with a tight scroll. Deidara recognized it as coming from the same collection that was stolen from earlier. So, there’d been two thieves! He silently noted to tease the Tsuchikage about said fact later.

“We both finished missions, hm. Konto?” Deidara gruffly responded, crossing his arms.

“Same here,” Kai answered with a warm smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Though, the blonde seemed to be the one who noticed the insincerity.

“And I was nearby. So, I’m supporting him!” Mari vibrantly clarified, causing Deidara to inwardly groan. “Actually, why don’t Kai and Kuro go on ahead. I’d like to talk with you for a moment, alone.” She continued, sharing a discrete look with her husband. The blonde protested before relenting, shrugging to Kuro as he was dragged away by Mari.

“What did you want to talk about, sis?” Deidara quizzed as they descended a set of stairs.

“Just a little longer!” Mari deflected until they reached the ground level of the Tsuchikage’s building. She exhaled, sitting on a nearby chair.

“Mari, hm?” The shinobi repeated to grab her attention.

“Yes! I wanted… to reconnect. We haven’t really spoken to each other since Kai and I were married and I moved out.” Mari quietly explained, playing with her hair. Deidara paused, briefly looking away. He buried down the numerous insults he had prepared for the Koton heir. Meanwhile, his sister appeared skittish as he the longer he took to answer. She often glanced up, as if studying the ceiling. 

“Mari, why do you like Kai, hm?” Deidara earnestly questioned, leaning against the stone walls. His sister softly smiled, moving her hand above her chest as if relieved they were talking.

“He doesn’t expect anything from me, Deidara. Our whole life people have needed us to do or be something. The other villagers want us to stay away from them. The academy wanted us to go into the explosion corps and just mindlessly blow things away. I use to just go through life fulfilling those expectations. But, Kai doesn’t want any of that. He just needs me there, and that’s… that’s all I want.” Mari calmly explained with a tranquil aura. Again, he paused before answering.

“…Sis, I’m worried about you, hm,” Deidara answered with a frown. Mari nervously chuckled, taking his hand.

“Don’t be. I’m happy now. I really, really, really am.” She comforted. He frowned, opening his mouth to respond before the ceiling shook. They both gasped and Deidara leaped forward.

“That was the old man’s office, hm!” He hissed, already running towards the scene.

“No! Deidara!” Mari yelped, trying to pull him away. However, Deidara swivelled out of her grasp.

“Get to safety, hm! I’m going to check it out!” He yelled before vanishing up the stairs. The blonde barely made out his sister’s cries as dust clouded his vision. He jumped the stone three steps at a time until he finally reached Onoki’s office. Though, his breath hitched when he caught the sights inside.

“Die already!” Kai hissed as he sliced at the Tsuchikage again and again. Kuro was at his back, attempting to subdue the Koton.

“The hell’s going on, hm?!” Deidara yelled as he joined his team without hesitation.

“It’s called-getting someone else-someone better in the Kage seat!” Kai exclaimed as he parried Kuro’s quicklime, throwing scrolls on the floor as he dodged an explosion. The trio quickly learned why Kai’s team had been second in the rankings. He was annoying skilled at playing keep away. Kuro grunted as her blade scratched a pillar and not Kai’s head.

“With who? You? As if, hm!” Deidara taunted, not particularly caring if he destroyed Onoki’s office. After all, having the opportunity to murder Kai seemed much more important to him. “I’ve been waiting to do this for a long time, hm!” The blonde grinned, readying a fiery explosion. Kai growled, throwing a kunai in his direction. Deidara scoffed, ducking and easily avoiding the attack.

A soft gasp-

“MARI!” Kuro screamed in horror, turning still as a statue.

Time stood still as Deidara froze.

Foul-tasting bile formed in his throat as he turned.

There Mari was, clutching the doorway with a bloodied hand. A kunai lodged in her throat as she painted the floor red. Her eyes were wide with shock and hurt as she clutched at her throat. A sickening gurgling sound haunted the office.

“D-Dei…” Mari tried to stutter but was stopped with a choke. Her eyes glazed over and she collapsed, unmoving like the stone she lay on. Deidara paled, racing for his sister before a searing pain paralyzed him. His eyes slowly ticked to the side to find a leering Kai and his blade. The edge impaled Deidara’s shoulder like a knife to wood.

“Good for nothing-“ The Koton had started to say. However, he never got to finish before the office was suffocated in smoke and flames. The last thing anyone heard was Deidara’s screams of pain, his pain, Mari’s pain.

———

“He’s gone?!” Kuro shrieked at her grandfather, her face contorted in pain both physical and mental. Jounin still worked on clearing the sight of his previous building behind them. Her limbs ached at every movement but her anger dulled it away.

“He stole two scrolls and fled! We’re still looking for him!” Onoki gruffly explained, turning to speak with one of his shinobi before returning to her. Kuro clenched her fists together as she saw Kai and Mari Koton being carefully laid to rest. Mourners from the Koton clan wept over their lost heir. The sight made her blood boil with rage. She briefly imagined walking over and exposing the liar to his clan. However, Onoki pressed a hand against her shoulder. “Don’t.” He warned.

“Why not?! They tried to kill you! And now Deidara’s being blamed for it!” Kuro seethed, glancing at a newly drawn wanted poster of her friend.

“The Koton clan is one of the most powerful in Iwagakure. I can’t just accuse their heir without investigating the matter further, Kuro! We don’t know how many of the Koton clan, let alone other clans were involved. You’ll understand when you’re Tsuchikage one day…” The elder irritatedly reprimanded.

“It’s Deidara-“ Kuro tried to plead.

“I know, Kurotsuchi! I know!” Onoki snapped before softening, a wave of guilt melting over his features. “The best you can do right now is ‘hunt down that traitorous thief’ as soon as possible.” He ordered, fixing his voice. In a quieter voice, he continued away from spying ears and eyes. “You and Akatsuchi know the boy best. Find him and make sure he’s alright…” Her grandfather sincerely requested, and Kuro nodded resolutely.

“… I will, grandfather. I will.” She muttered antecedent to sprinting through the dusty streets.

Kuro had a guess on where her friend had run off too. The familiar paths and cracks felt unbearably empty as she traversed the fields. However, relief overcame her when she heard a light coughing from the cave - Deidara’s cave.

“Deidara-“ Kuro shouted as she stumbled across the stone. But, the kunoichi froze upon finding her friend.

“K-Kuro… HA! HA!… I… HA-“ The blonde stuttered, clutching his head with a crazed smile laced on his face. He kneeled on the floor while simultaneously laughing and crying. Kuro couldn’t stop herself from taking a step back before snapping out of it and approaching.

“Deidara, what happened to you?!” She cried, grabbing his arm before gasping as a tongue licked her wrist. Kuro yelped and scrambled backwards, eyes glazing over as they found an opened scroll near Deidara. It was a forbidden kinjutsu from Iwagakure that had been stolen only days before. It has just been retrieved by Kai before… it happened. “You-You didn’t?!” The kunoichi questioned in a horrified whisper.

“I-I-I didn’t want to, HA! Hm!” The blonde screamed, clawing at his face only to reveal two twin mouths sticking out of his palms. Kuro could only watch, stunned as his maniacal laughs morphed into ugly sobs. He fell against the floor as if weakened.

“I…” She tried to say, but the words died on her lips. There was nothing she could say.

“M-Mari… Mari is… HA! Mari… HA… Mari… no… no… no… no… no…” Deidara stammered with laboured breaths. “Koton… HA! Koton… Did I get him? HA! He’s dead, right, Kuro? Right? I got him, right?!” The blonde realized, abruptly standing and looking at the shadows as if expecting the Koton to appear again at any moment. Deidara’s fingers twitched with sizzling white clay clumps and violent sparks. His legs shook and he fell down once more.

“He’s… dead…” Kuro murmured, concernedly tracing her friend’s steps.

“YES! YES! HA! TAKE THAT! HA!” Deidara cackled on the ground. Unfortunately, his eyes suddenly dilated as he started to cry once more. “Mari… no… no… no… no…” The blonde bemoaned, curling in on himself.

“Deidara… You need to stay hidden for a while, okay? Kuro carefully explained, swallowing down her own grief and focusing on the task at hand. “My old man needs to figure things out back at Iwa. And, well-“ She was rudely interrupted by Deidara nearly slamming into her forehead.

“Old man… old man… I… HA! Tsuchikage… He… his fault… Mari…” He mumbled and mumbled and mumbled, as if in the zenith of the storm.

“Deidara!” Kuro yelled in turn, taking a fearful step away. Instantly, Deidara’s face crumpled and he seemed to have a moment of consciousness through his mutterings. His hands slapped his temples once more and all of his anger and grief seemed to turn inwards.

“STOP! M-Make it stop… make it stop…” He wheezed as if suffocating on the air itself. “Kuro!” The blonde screamed, marching up to her face. She paled, feeling pebbles of dread slowly build into a mountain.

“What do you want me to do?!” The kunoichi prompted while shaking her head. Deidara smiled at her, though it was without any humour or energy. Or, perhaps it had been diverted by something else like a rock in a stream. Deidara scrambled on his person before throwing another scroll at her feet. Kuro unsurely glanced at the title before immediately feeling a tad lightheaded.

It was the scroll she’d retrieved from the same collection. One that irreversibly obliterated memories.

“Make it-“ Her friend was saying before she interrupted.

“I won’t-can’t just wipe your memory, Deidara!” Kuro retorted, slashing the wind with her arm. “The kinjutsu’s messing with your head, Deidara! You’re not thinking straight! Just-“ She tried to placate to no avail.

“Kuro, I’m begging you! MAKE THE PAIN GO AWAY! MAKE IT GO AWAY, PLEASE!” Deidara sporadically pleaded, hitting the ground again and again. The cracks travelling ever so close to Kuro. Her heartbeat picked up, sweat coalesced on her brow. A shameful part of her wanted to run. But, she looked at his grief-stricken face so horribly broken and crumpled.

Kuro picked up the scroll.

She had to leave when some other scouts approached the cave.

When Kuro came back Deidara was gone, Mari’s old paintings on the ground in faded pieces.

———

It was some months later when she saw her friend again. Kuro was scaling a small mountain near Iwagakure after having returned from a solo assignment. She’d been going on many more of those after Deidara’s disappearance. The heat of the sun blared down on her back. Kuro had returned to the cave after talking with the others only to find Deidara vanished. She worried about him often like an unscratched itch.

“Deidara… where are you…?” She muttered, allowing her back to slouch as she overlooked Iwagakure. However, she looked up when a sudden shadow fell over her. Though, it vanished as quickly as it came. Her hair stood on edge as Kuro turned back towards the village. She squinted at just the right time to watch as a white blob soared over Iwa… and paint the sky with fire.

She was blown back by the shockwaves, falling to her stomach in disarray. Black ash climbed the air and coated it with a tight foul smell. Kuro coughed but quickly regained her wits, moving to sprint across the rock field to the village.

“What the-“ She cursed but was cut off by the screaming. People burned inside Iwagakure. People were torn to sherds inside their homes. People cried out for their injured or dead loved ones in the streets. “Gramps! Akatsuchi!” Kuro shouted as she busted a door down to lead civilians outside.

“Kuro!” The kunoichi heard her friend call, muted by the chaos. She coughed again and stared at the white blob that was still gliding above, throwing bombs below. “Whoever that is I’m going to kill-“ Kuro screamed with a furious snarl before she saw the attacker’s face. She paled, anger immediately morphing into shock. “Deidara…?!” She gasped.

“Hey everyone, hm! Hope you like my art, hm!” The blonde cackled, a foreign mad gleam in his eyes. Kuro finally recognized the white blob as one of Deidara’s many clay creations. Somehow, the anarchy around Kuro faded to the background as she stared at her former friend. The horrible sounds, smells, and sights seemed to fade in her mind. She swayed, falling to her knees as the bird flew off.

“No…” The kunoichi hissed, punching the ground and cracking it. Horror began to swirl inside her blood and making her feel sick.

“Kuro, are you okay?” Akatsuchi was saying, having found her through the outrage. He shook her arms thought she paid him no mind.

“No!” She repeated, her voice shaky like an earthquake. “No-No…No… Deidara… what have I done?” Kuro mourned as Iwagakure burned with her comrade. 

*Flashback End*

———

“… I’m sorry!” Both Iwa fighters apologized simultaneously, both proceeding to blink and look away. “Why are you-stop! I’ll go first-” Both insisted, a moment passed as they dared each other to speak. Eventually, Deidara opened his mouth only for Kuro to slam her hand against it.

“I’ll go!” She grumbled, and the shinobi relented with a shrug. “It’s my fault you ended up going… insane… I shouldn’t have ever wiped your memories of Mari, it just made everything worse… I was weak-” Kuro weakly admitted, a shadow falling over her face.

“I shouldn’t have asked, hm!” Deidara retorted, frantically shaking his head at her.

“You were grieving!” She replied with a scowl, kicking a rock against the opposite wall.

“That doesn’t m-matter, Kuro! I still shouldn’t have done it, hm!” The blonde ranted, holding his head in his hands. The fight slowly left his body as he heavily sighed, a distant look in his eyes. “Mari was trying to distract me... If I just didn’t run back to you guys she wouldn’t have followed, wouldn’t have been in the crossfire. Kai would’ve definitely been dealt with by you two, hm…” Deidara reflected.

“You can’t blame yourself, Deidara.” Kuro tried to comfort, resting a hand against his shoulder. He twitched, mouth opening as if to speak before closing, deciding against it.

“Yes, I can, hm.” He softly disagreed with a grunt.

“Then…” Kuro mumbled, rubbing her fingers against her temple to think. She exhaled, taking her anxiety with it. Afterwards, the kunoichi softly smiled at him, eager and hopeful. “We just have to focus on what we have now, right?! You’re here! You’re back, and we can explain everything to the others when we all return home!” She tried to be optimistic, though Deidara hesitated before answering.

“… Alright, hm.” He shakily nodded, tapping the stone ground before smirking. “What have… I missed, hm?” Deidara cheerfully asked, his strained tone submerged beneath a sunny disposition. Kuro beamed at him.

“My old man eventually dealt with the Koton clan… They lost their prestige, wealth, everything. He just needed time to figure out who were allied with them and how to deal with that.” She started with, causing the blonde to victoriously chuckle.

“Serves them right.” He grumbled as she continued her tales.

“Oh! This one time…” Kuro prattled as they sat there in that cave, enjoying each other’s familiar company. They stayed there in the present for as long as they possibly could. One recalling memories both new and old. The other intently listening to everything he’d abandoned while hiding a guilty vice in his eyes. The shadows and wind became an unmoving constant. The only sound was their voices’ echoes within the stone, like a solitary mountain.

It was their present that inevitably became a memory within thousands and thousands of others. 

No Akatsuki or dangerous threats lurking in the dark, no worries about the future or fighting ahead, no horrible past haunting their words.

Right then, it was just two friends talking.

Chapter Text

“You’re joking, hm?!” Deidara exclaimed with a cackle, eagerly listening as Kuro relayed one of their many misadventures. In turn, she smirked, planting her hands on her hips. “You actually made him fall over the entire cake? In front of everyone? You, hm?!” He incredulously repeated, slapping his knee in disbelief. Kuro proudly rested her chin on her palm, bopping her head in the process.

“I didn’t do it publicly.” She singsonged, drawing her eyes back. “I hid behind an old statue the idiot commissioned for himself and tripped him; got what he served for underestimating me.” Kuro flippantly explained as Deidara nodded, impressed.

“Sounds like it, hm. i would’ve loved to wreck his party, hm!” The blonde chuckled, eyes lighting up at the fantasy.

“Of course you would.” She happily sighed in turn, leaning back into the cool stone. “Only you could get away with it.” The kunoichi added, a nostalgic warmth flowing through her chest.

“And cause the fossil a headache, hm.” He expanded while smashing his hands together. Kuro grinned, throwing a circular pebble at the wall before catching it. She’d repeated that pattern for what felt like the hundredth time: talking with Deidara, laughing, cracking jokes and throwing the pebble only to start it all again. Though, it was a peaceful loop like a morning routine; it felt natural.

The two suddenly tensed as they felt a presence nearby. Kuro discreetly glanced at Deidara before leaning forward ever so slightly. However, she visibly relaxed upon catching sight of the large shadow. The kunoichi winked at her friend and then loudly coughed.

“It’s just so sad! Grandfather is going senile!” Kuro fake cried, wiping invisible tears from her face. The blonde blinked before understanding fluttered into his eyes, a mischievous grin taking hold.

“I warned everyone it was going to happen, hm! He’ll have to be replaced soon, hm!” Deidara snorted in mock pity. The two broke out into raucous laughter when Akatsuchi stepped forward from around the bend.

“Ha, very funny guys.” The elder male sighed, raising his chin in a scolding manner. Though, twitches of humour seeped through his features.

“Still protecting the fossil, classic Akatsuchi, hm.” Deidara chuckled with his comrades.

“Heh, we’re still a team.” The shield proudly defended.

“Hasn’t changed at all.” Kuro and Deidara responded in turn, sharing another laugh. Unfortunately, the moment faded away as Akatsuchi spoke up.

“So, it’s been hours already. What are you two doing in here?” He asked with a small smile.

“We’ve been talking about… everything.” Kuro wistfully responded, pushing herself onto her feet. “It’s only been a few hours?” She realized, crossing her arms over each other.

“Time flies, hm.” Deidara reflected, similarly moving towards the tunnel bend. “We should head back, hm?” He motioned, meeting Akatsuchi’s analytical gaze.

“Lord Tsuchikage sent me.” The shield explained. To which the two nin waved off while walking back towards the others. Kuro noticed how the dim blue light seemed more alluring than before, more comforting than fearful. Her sentiment extended towards the shadows, which seemed like gentle strokes on an evening setting instead of secretive. The tunnels seemed more open and wide than cramped like before. She felt at ease with her team by her side.

“Do you hear something?” Kuro hurriedly whispered after a moment, raising her hand to make them pause. Silently, the males nodded and the three raced forward, cutting through the air currents like a feather to streams.

They arrived to find Ao and Chojuro restraining a decrepit old woman near another tunnel opening. The older man cursed as she wildly flailed in his grasp. Kuro ran up to see Onoki yelling at the reflections who absentmindedly watched the scene unfold. Though, Kisame’s reflection seemed bothered by the exchange. The reflection of Hidan was noncommittally droning about something, what that was she couldn’t hear.

“Where is it? Go back! I have to-Darling! GO BACK! Where is it, darling? GO-“ The woman mumbled and rambled and babbled as she tried to break away. Her body seemed to be a mess of frayed hair and flesh. However, her movements soon grew stiff and cold. Soon after, the woman went unusually still, continuing to babble nonsense.

“What’s wrong with her?” Chojuro worriedly asked as Ao tied her down.

“Oh, the hag’s back, hm.” Deidara nonchalantly commented, causing Kuro to swivel towards him.

“You know her?” She questioned, making him shrug.

“She was here when I first woke up, hm. I tried to get her to leave, but she always came back. I think she’s some old woman’s reflection from years ago, hm.” Deidara calmly assessed while walking towards the Kiri shinobi. “Hag disappears sometimes. She always comes back though, hm. But, since keeping this place a secret is a lot more important now. It’s a good idea to keep her stuck, hm.” The blonde nodded before facing the group.

“Creepy…” Chojuro muttered at the elder’s faint mumblings.

“You couldn’t have mentioned this earlier?” Ao criticized while taking a small step away from the still elder.

“I had a lot to think about, hm!” Her friend grumbled with downcast eyes. Kuro tried her best not to look suspicious as he spoke. “We good to set off now, hm?” Deidara quizzed the assembled, who all wordlessly affirmed. “Good, let’s go.” He ordered, a stoney mask covering his face as he led the group through the tunnels. Kuro took a fleeting glance at the old woman before sighing, following along.

She tried to bury the growing pit inside her stomach that something terrible would happen.

———

The resounding silence was odd after having spent hours talking with her friend. Though, there was a nervous jump to her step as they walked. Meanwhile, Kuro studied her blonde comrade. Deidara seemed at ease in the tunnels, he seemed to know them like Iwagakure’s streets. His eyes appeared to catch every crack and dent in the stone and every gust of wind.

“So, you guys made your own tunnel in, hm?” He quizzed as they climbed a steeper path. Sharp rocks bit into her hands as they ascended.

“I did,” Onoki responded, and Deidara smirked.

“Had to exercise your old arms, hm.” The blonde chuckled before quickly continuing. “I’m taking you guys to one of the outermost sections, hm. Do it again.” He ordered with a serious expression. His tone was low, like the echoey chambers they walked through. In response, the Tsuchikage merely nodded in understanding. The Kiri portion of their group observed the exchange like jumpy rats.

“You’re a lot saner than I thought you’d be,” Raion noted with a befuddled face. His left hand rested over his blade pouch.

“I’m not the one you’ve been hearing about, hm.” Deidara retorted as they traversed a straight tunnel. After about half an hour of awkward silence, they paused in front of a flat wall. “Here we are, hm. Old man?” He waved over, who gruffly followed. Kuro blinked, the instinct to claim she or Akatsuchi could’ve done it dead in her throat. Something was holding her back from speaking.

Onoki pushed his hands together and swiftly made a tunnel through the wall, bits of stone peeling off in the process. A single ray of sunlight burned away the blue glimmer of the cave, causing Kuro to squint her eyes as the outside world became known.

“Good.” Deidara signed, flicking his arm towards the exit. “All of you, out, hm.” He strongly stated, directing an impatient glare at the group. His eyes flew from them, the exit, and behind the group. They looked at each other, sharing a common sentiment before Ao coughed.

“Scouts, head back and return to Kirigakure to inform Lord Mizukage about the situation. We might need backup to bring Akatsuki in.” The blue-haired shinobi curtly ordered. The remaining scouts straightened, before making their way through the tunnel.

“This is a tight fit-“ One of the scouts on the stouter side grumbled as they tried to shimmy through. Raion had already crossed and was waiting for his comrades. Umi waited behind the grumbling scout.

“What are you doing, hm? I said everyone-“ Deidara tried to interject but Ao cut him off.

“That’s not your decision to make.” The older fighter shot down, turning to stare behind himself. “Akatsuki is our problem, and we will take them down,” Ao explained. Deidara stiffened, narrowing his eyes into slits. Sparks danced from his fingertips and the group tensed. Umi already had her weapon out as he spoke in an ice-cold voice.

“They’re my problem too. But, me taking them down has less risk involved!” Deidara hissed, taking a step closer.

“Take them down by yourself? How cocky are you that you can take them on-“ Ao argued before being cut off.

“-And survive, hm. I know I probably can’t live through it, hm. But disappearing doesn’t matter as long as I can take them with me.” The blonde dryly explained, a dark look in his eyes. Kuro gaped, shaking her head as she spoke without thinking.

“Doesn’t matter? It matters! You matter!” She angrily pressed, clenching her fists tight. Her beat loudly against her chest as Deidara turned his gaze towards her. “If you don’t come back we can’t-“ Kuro tried to say before he interrupted with a scowl.

“I can’t leave…” Deidara whispered, the shadows of his hair hiding his face.

“-Can’t even make a proper tunnel-“ The scout wheezed as Kuro reeled her head back.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Of course-“ She seethed before he screamed.

“I CAN’T LEAVE!, KURO! I LITERALLY CAN’T LEAVE THIS STUPID MOUNTAIN!” Deidara yelled, his voice reverberating through the tunnels. Kuro’s face turned pale white as Onoki and Akatsuchi stared. The Kiri nin remained silent as they fought, unwilling to entangle themselves in their drama.

“What… are you talking about?” Kuro half laughed in shock. Initially, Deidara wouldn’t answer. Instead, he paced back and forth through the shadows. It was at that moment Kuro noticed he didn’t have a shadow. A part of her heart sunk at the observation.

“…You think I haven’t tried to leave already? The first thing I did when I woke up was try and get out of here and find… something… someone…hm.” Deidara whispered, eyes sparking with vengeance. “Turns out, reflections can’t leave the cave without…” He paused, rolling up his red sleeve to reveal crackling blue lines trailing his arm. Puffs of blue light similar to the cave’s walls fell from him. Kuro began to feel faint. “Can’t leave without this happening….” He revealed with a tearful smile, the salt illuminated by the light.

“No…” Those from Iwa muttered. At once, all of Kuro’s fantasies were shattered. Her dreams of having Deidara back at Iwagakure and everything returning to normal, gone just like that. Deidara wasn’t done.

“I’m not real… The only real thing I can do is stop them, Kuro…” The boy reminded, and took a step past her to move to the group’s flank. “That’s why I should stay here. And you all should go-“ He tried to convince them but was stopped when a storm of wind slammed into him. “What the-“ Deidara started to curse before a flash of yellow struck the exit.

“Art is an explosion!” Someone cackled.

———

Kuro coughed as the force of the explosion knocked her back. She quickly regained her wits and tried to see through the smoke. The light of the sun shined through and she saw Umi cartwheel backwards with a sorrowful look on her face. Immediately afterwards, the stout scout screamed and the silhouette of their body went limp. Behind them, Raion seemed to stagger backwards before disappearing.

The tunnel collapsed as Akatsuki’s Deidara charged towards his reflection.

“Hey again, hm!” He brightly greeted, contrasting his reflection’s murderous aura.

“You should be dead.” The Iwa uniform-wearing male growled as they traded blows back and forth.

“I can say the same about you, hm!” Deidara quipped with a lopsided grin. “Explosion: C1” He charged and flung a white spider at the reflection. In turn, he dodged and raised his own hands high.

“Explosion Release: Landmine Fist!” He rallied as they turned their spite into combat. The fire of their fight blinded the others in the cave. Kuro clenched her teeth as she leapt to assist her grandfather and Akatsuchi, who faced the scythe wielder once more. Naturally, Ao and Chojuro were engaging Kisame near them. Kuro was constantly on the move, avoiding attacks on all sides.

“Earth Release: Opening Earth Rising Excavation!” Kuro summoned, using it to grapple onto a rook in the ceiling. Her plan was to submerge the silver-haired man with quicklime. But, her eyes fell on the Deidaras’ fight. They were directly beneath her and it was a picture of blue and red blood. She looked away and fired her quicklime at Hidan. Unfortunately, the criminal dodge and took a swing at Akatsuchi’s stomach.

“Damn!” Kuro mentally cursed and readied herself to jump back into the fray. But, in the corner of her eye, she saw Akatsuki’s Deidara take a slash to his arm. He hissed, though Kuro was more focused on what occurred to his reflection. The blonde in Iwagakure’s apparel similarly hissed and clutched his arm as the blue lines grew along with it.

Kuro suddenly realized that a reflection couldn’t exist without a base to reflect.

So, what would happen to Deidara’s reflection if he died?

The thought made her froze in her place, her grip shook before steadily loosening.

Someone yelled and she turned. Looking down, the kunoichi saw Deidara’s reflection holding his original down. He tried to grapple a weapon without releasing the criminal. But, it proved to be an arduous task. He looked up, towards her. Their eyes met.

“Do it!” He mouthed.

“Finish him off…” She finished for him. Her hands moved into a sign but stopped mid-air. Her mind was frenzied. If she killed Deidara, would she lose both versions of him? She… she couldn’t take that risk. A tear slid down her cheek as if someone had stabbed into her brain.

Kuro couldn’t do it.

The opportunity was lost as Akatsuki’s Deidara threw his reflection off and blasted him against the stone. He turned his head and grinned. Before Kuro knew it she was ducking her head as he launched himself towards her. However, the kunoichi wasn’t quick enough. Deidara grabbed her leg and dragged her down to the ground. They landed with a loud crack, and Kuro groaned as she numbly rolled out of the way of a punch.

A pulsing blue light, brighter than the average cave crack flooded her vision. She felt someone grab her neck and force her face against the light. Still weary from the fall, Kuro couldn’t resist as a reflection came into view. She saw her out of it face, a bruise on her cheek and red splotches here and there. Suddenly, the pressure on her neck vanished as a new kind of pain overcame her mind.

———

*Flashback *

She was in Onoki’s office, which has remained miraculously untouched after Deidara’s assault on Iwagakure. Her fist was reared back as he delivered the news.

“We have to tell everyone! The Koton Clan is finished, there’s no reason to hide it now, grandfather!” She screamed, banging on the desk. In turn, the Tsuchikage pushed the furniture back with a stern look on his face.

“He’s betrayed us! None of us have even seen him after he fled Iwagakure’s borders! There’s no point in clearing the already-dirtied name of that boy!” He seethed, though glimpses of grief could be seen in his eyes. Though, Kuro couldn’t see it at that moment. She hadn’t told anyone of her final exchange with Deidara, of what she’d done to him.

“I hate you!” Kuro seethed, for a split second, she wanted to make her Tsuchikage hUrT. But, she had remembered herself before anything could happen. She’d originally left the office a steaming mess.

However, something else happened in her recollection.

Kuro felt the anger in her body multiply like a virus. It was like her blood itself was laced with volcanic fury. Her empathy and logic seemed to be numbed over in a barren tundra. Her desire to make Onoki HuRt morphed into an unbearable bloodlust. She didn’t just want him to sUfFeR for lying about Deidara. Kuro wanted him to DiE. She wanted to KiLl HiM hErSeLf. He needed to pay!

The room seemed to darken as the anger grew and grew. Roots embedded themselves into her memories and heart. Something cold fell over her until all that was left was that burning rage. However, that anger turned to herself as well. It was her fault for erasing his memories and making him insane. Kuro had done that to him. She needed to pay!

“Deidara…” Kuro rasped as a giggly overtook her. “I’ll save you…” She went, full of joy from dreaming about their deaths. Kuro would stop her comrade from hurting anyone else, which undoubtedly hurt who he once was! He had to pay!

They all had to pay… pay… PAY…

*Flashback End*

Kuro gasped, staggering back from the pulsing light. She tripped on a nook on the floor and fell on her back. Her head spun as she tried to wrestle her warring thoughts. It was as if someone had torn her spirit apart long enough to pry something away before sewing the pieces together again. Every attempt to think was met with a searing headache in her skull.

“Grandfather!” Kuro thought she yelled, but her lips felt so dry?

“Kurotsuchi!” Her grandfather returned, so she must’ve been out of it. However, when she peered up the elder wasn’t racing towards her. Instead, he raced to a scarily similar figure farther away. “What are-“ Onoki started before the figure rose, lightning-fast and tried to stab him in the heart. Fortunately, Deidara’s reflection reappeared and dragged him back.

“Kuro!” The blonde shouted, eying the figure before spotting her position.

“Why…?” Onoki mumbled, confusion and hurt clear on his face. However, he was shocked to see Deidara engage the figure in a fight. Now that Kuro’s vision felt more clear, she made out that the figure was a near exact replica of her. The only difference that existed was the figure’s manic smile.

“It’s not Kuro, hm! It’s a reflection!” Deidara speedily explained as her reflection cackled.

“Please die, grandfather! We need to pay for ruining Deidara’s life!” She begged a kunai in her hand aimed at Onoki’s stunning features.

“Dammit! I wouldn’t want this, hm!” The blonde tried to say.

“Of course you wouldn’t! But it’s what we deserve! Me, this horrible old man, what you’ve become, and-and-and… the coward!” Kuro’s reflection raved with a murderous gleam in her eyes. She pointed at Kuro herself when she finished. And her comrades stiffened. Deidara was quicker, blasting the laughing figure away before scowling at the fighting around them.

“… We can’t win this. We got to go, hm!” The blonde yelled, rushing to Kuro before dragging them all off. He copied his original’s move and destroyed the tunnel once everyone was through.

———

Her head swam with confusion as they stumbled back into the safe space. The other reflections appeared surprised at their return but subtly moved away. In the corner of her version, she saw Deidara vanish to check their tracks. But, the pounding in her mind was too strong to resist. Kuro wobbled to a flat stone and pushed herself against it, listening to her own staggering breaths.

“… Grandfather…” She whispered almost incoherently, trying to process what had occurred. The kunoichi could still see those horrible images and feelings while her reflection came to exist. Kuro gasped as the memory of her reflection attacking Onoki flashed through her mind. The insane smile felt rotten as she attacked again and again and again.

Guilt rolled over Kuro in waves. She couldn’t even look at her family member without crumbling. Eventually, the young woman fell into a restless slumber as her mind betrayed her.

———

“We have to leave soon before the scouts bring backup,” Kisame advised as they stalked through the tunnels, having partially learned how to navigate the spiralling cave. Deidara grinned as he hopped over a stone, invigorated by the screams of his last victim. He could still see the glorious sparks as they were torn from flesh and bone. If only he could get the rest of them, Kuro, Onoki, and Akatsuchi. If he could only blow one of them up; it would be incredible!

“We need to find the charm. We’re not wasting all this time and potential profit by running off.” Kakuza gruffly retorted, narrowing his green eyes at the shark-man. Hidan loudly hummed behind the three, muttering something or another about his religion.

“I want to stay too, hm! I can’t lose a chance to make art with my old team!” Deidara similarly protested with a lopsided grin.

“You can fight them later after we get out of here.” Kisame pressed, balancing his long curved sword over his shoulders. “But, leader won’t be very happy if we all died because of a stupid cave trip.” He argued, causing voices of dissent to rise up. However, before the group could continue the spat Hidan spun around. His scythe reflected the veins’ light as he took an eager step forward.

“I got another one for you, Jashin!” The immortal passionately cheered to the ceiling. Though, a girlish giggle caused all four of them to tense. Deidara’s eyes widened as he recognized the voice.

“Kuro, hm?” He asked, pushing past Hidan to the older man’s ire. His grin grew wider and wider as he made out his former teammate’s figure. “Kuro! I can’t wait to-“ His exciting greeting was cut off.

“Deidara! It’s so good to see you!” Kuro gleefully shouted, launching herself at him. The blonde was so caught off guard he nearly failed to dodge. His actions made the kunoichi cackle harder with a pulsing red light in her eyes. She swung again but staggered, laughing as she twirled while rooted to the rock. Deidara could only watch, slack-jawed with the rest of Akatsuki as she twitched.

“Oi, why is she acting like you?” Hidan yelled, pointing his scythe at the girl. However, Deidara soon grinned from ear to ear. Slowly, he stepped forward, having to dodge numerous little swings and kicks from Kuro.

“It’s not the real Kurotsuchi, just her reflection from earlier, hm.” The criminal happily noted, blowing her shadowless body against the wall.

“Eh?” Kuro drawled, inattentively dragging the ‘h’ out. “I’m Kuro! Your best friend in all the world!” She insisted, rising from the ashes as if the attack had never occurred. The girl charged with manic passion.

“What’s she doing here besides having a death wish?” Kisame grumbled a bored expression on his face as the two Iwa nin fought. Though, his question was soon answered by Kuro’s reflection.

“Please let me kill you, Deidara! I need to kill you and grandfather and me so we can all pay for our horrible, horrible crimes!” She raved, slamming into his chest.

“Right! You want the old man dead too, hm!” Deidara laughed as he grabbed her arm and forced her to the floor. Though, Kuro merely turned her head to him with wide, crazed eyes. Her mouth was charcoal black and puffs of smoke fled her as she spoke.

“Yes! This is all his fault! It’s because of him everyone hunted you down! But, it’s also my fault! It’s my fault you ended up like-like this! So, everyone needs to be punished, and saved! And death’s the perfect, perfect plan! Right?! Right?! Kuro fervently screamed like Hidan to Jashin.

“What…?” Hidan deadpanned, directing his blade towards her. However, Deidara waved him off.

“She’s a lot more fun like this, hm!” The blonde eagerly analyzed, dissecting the reflection that has caused chaos. He suddenly had a glint in his eyes as Kuro struggled under him. “Say, Kuro, hm. Why don’t we team up to kill our team?” Deidara suavely offered, loosening his grip slightly as she stilled. As if his madness transferred to her, Kuro’s eyes attained the same glint as his own.

“Oh! You mean that, Deidara? You want to team up just like old times? You’ll help me help us all?!” She interrogated with a lopsided smile, roughly pushing him back.

“Sounds fun, hm!” Deidara nodded, grinning at his Akatsuki comrades.

“It’s fun to do the righteous thing! So fun! Very fun!” Kuro singsonged, before drawing her head back. “Oh… but before we kill me I’ll kill you, kay? I need to see it happen…” She quietly threatened in a venomous voice. Though, the blonde merely seemed amused by her words.

“Try your best, hm!” He lightly quipped, flexing his hands. In turn, her lips parted even wider if that was possible.

“I will! You can trust me to do the right thing now!” Kuro reassured with open arms.

“Okay, Kuro… Actually, you’re not really Kuro, hm. You’re more like a… darker Kurotsuchi… dark… Kuro… Kuro Kuro. I’m going to call you Kurokuro, hm!” Deidara decided, patting the reflection’s head.

“Whatever you say, Deidara! As long as we’re dead by the end, I’m okay with anything!” She giggled.

Deidara brightly smiled as he helped Kurokuro up to her feet, Afterwards, he wrapped an arm around her giddy shoulders and forced them forward. In his mind, the artist was cheerfully planning his next collection. He could just see it. Both versions of Kurotsuchi dead on the cold stone, Akstsuchi’s remains scattered around an unrecognizable Onoki in an array of fiery colours. Deidara childishly hummed as he shouted at his teammates.

“Kakuza! Do you have any extra cloaks, hm?”

Chapter Text

She tapped the walls and hummed, the sleek grey metal cool against her skin. The old woman quietly laughed as she tapped the wall again and again. Her mind was fractured yet whole. Thin fingers fidgeted as they poked the stone for treasure. There were so many… so many guests visiting her. The excitement made her feel young and free and everything wonderful in the world again. The old woman wobbled from side to side in a faulty step dance. Her arms were wide like a rising bird’s wings.

The revelry was halted when a shallow knock reverberated past her. She turned, yellow teeth like sunlight for her expected visitor.

“Darling?!” The elder shrieked before falling silent. It was only that dark-haired girl. Disappointment made itself known in her stomach as she huffed back to the stoney tree-like pillars. A sharp spike of pain shot through her skull and she coughed, slapping her forehead. The elder blinked while silvery strands of hair blanketed her vision.

Was she forgetting something?

“Not important!” The old woman shrugged and spun around again and again and again. “Ha! I need to find-Darling?” She yelped as another sound was heard some way away. No, it was only the girl again. Cracked lips parted in a scowl.

She scratched the wall and giggled, eyes glazing over as she drowned in another mental wave.

——— 

Kuro forced herself to ignore the old woman as she sought Onoki out. She found the Tsuchikage sitting near Akatsuchi, absentmindedly staring at the opposite wall. He slowly turned to look at her as she approached.

“Grandfather…?” Kuro quietly asked, sitting next to him. She folded her hands over her lap.

“Kurotsuchi. You want to talk about why your reflection wants me dead.” Her grandfather bluntly intoned, face apathetic. The kunoichi softly sighed, yet nodded. Onoki was painfully direct and to the point at times.

“When… when I looked at the light I remembered that day in your office. When you told me you wouldn’t tell the truth about Deidara to the village.” Kuro started, watching as Onoki drew his fingers together. His brow furrowed as he mentally relived the memory. “I was so mad at you back then, you know?” She cringed, recalling her exact wording.

“You said you hated me.” The Tsuchikage sombrely noted.

“I didn’t mean it.” Kuro hurriedly reassured, raising her hands as a placating gesture.

“I know, Kurotsuchi.” Onoki nodded.

“But, I wanted you to hurt when it happened. I was just… so mad at you. And myself. I hated what was happening to him… I guess some of that resentment still exists in me… I’m sorry…” The young woman apologized in a low voice. She twiddled her thumbs as her grandfather loudly exhaled.

“You have a right to be mad at me.” He comforted, calmly meeting her eyes.

“I don’t want to have to ruin anyone like that in the future, grandfather. If I become Lord Tsuchikage-“ Kuro expressed, watching her reflection in a kunai.

“You’ll lead how you want to lead. I’m not infallible, even the hardest of stone cracks sometimes. Maybe you’d do things differently? Maybe you’d be the same. But, you just need to learn how to make the tough calls as Iwagakure’s leader. And it has to be your call.” Onoki calmly lectured, closing his eyes. “But, it’ll be a different world when you succeed me, Kurotsuchi. Let’s focus on our current dilemma for now.” He chose, signalling the conversation’s end.

———

Deidara cheerfully hummed, teeming with frenetic energy as he worked on his newest creation. He was looping a noodle-like thread around an arm before she arrived. The girl didn’t bother hiding her presence, footsteps sounding like drums as she stalked towards him. The criminal smirked as she leaned over his shoulder with a wild grin on her face.

“Hey-o, Deidara!” Kurokuro giddily chirped, forcing him to stand. The girl’s hair seemed even crazier than before, her eyes pulsing with excitement. The robes of Akatsuki hung loosely to her form, though she’d cut a sleeve off to mimic her uniform.

“Kurokuro, hm.” The blonde casually greeted, matching her odd smile. He swiftly wrestled his grip out of her arms and turned, to her visual disappointment.

“What ‘cha doing?” She curiously pried, moving closer to tap the clay model. However, he kicked her hand away. Instantly, the two were in fighting stances, their visible insanity mirroring each other. “I want to help you so bad! I can’t wait until I can kill you and fix everything! I really, really, really, really want to kill you…” Kurokuro drawled, her eyes dazed as if in a puppet-like trance. Her body being the puppet, and her unhinged vengeance the strings that guided her.

“I’d like to see you try, hm.” Deidara taunted as they circled the statue.

“You will! You will! I can’t wait until that stupid, horrible old man has been ripped to shreds!” She chanted as if possessed. “And then I’ll kill you, and then that damned coward, and we’ll all be free and have paid for what happened to you! Isn’t that wonderful, Deidara?” Kurokuro celebrated with a small twirl whole folding her hands together.

“Sure, hm.” The blonde began to nod. “The whole ‘gramps dying’ sounds great, hm. Kuro too! Just not me, hm.” Deidara smirked, twisting his fingers back and forth. He briefly pondered what Kurokuro meant by what happened to him, but his mind pushed the wonder aside. A glint flashed through his pupils. It was all too enjoyable toying with this version of Kurotsuchi.

“That’s okay! You don’t have to agree with me by then!” She spat back, a vicious tone to her voice.

“I can’t wait to blow you both you to pieces, it’ll be a masterpiece! Because art is an explosion!” Deidara cackled, allowing sparks to flare from his palms.

“We all need to pay! Pay! Pay!” Kurokuro uncontrollably giggled, still spinning before she fell to the ground in a fit of laughter. “Pay with our lives… pay with their lives… pay with their…” She mumbled before suddenly shaking her head, a moment of clarity breaking through to her mind.

“Where you going, hm?” Deidara distantly prompted, his back already turned away and to his work. She turned towards him, her clear eyes were vaguely similar to the calculative mind of the real Kurotsuchi.

“Grab your friends, we have some special guests to visit.”

———

The others were still asleep by the time Kuro saw Deidara. She was leaning against the flat stone, the sound of gushing water nearby. The kunoichi slowly rubbed the worry from her eyes before standing. Afterwards, she stealthily made her way towards him. Her friend was agitated, his hands fighting from his weapon to his head. He paced along the cave muttering to himself about sections of the cave-like a lost traveller.

“Down by the-no, that wouldn’t work! What about-no! Dammit!” Deidara went, kicking a rock until it shattered into small, sad pieces.

“A lot on your mind, huh?” She noted, watching as he jumped, startled.

“Kuro, hm! I… yeah. I’ve been trying to figure out another path where you guys can tunnel out. But, Akatsuki knows most of the outer ones already, hm. How’s your head?!” The blonde asked, playing with his hands as they talked.

“Fine. When… my reflection came alive it hurt for a bit. And I kept seeing the images that I saw while looking at the light-“ Kuro started to answer before being cut off.

“Images, hm? So, you see things too?” Deidara questioned.

“I did see my older memories. But, it wasn’t like how you described it. I only saw one, and I could feel how my reflection felt for a moment before snapping out of it.” She clarified with a shudder, recalling the horrible feeling of rage her reflection had.

“Hm.” The reflection nodded. For a while they just stood there, meeting each other’s eyes before turning away. Her eyes wandered towards the blue lines that were freely shown on his arms. She felt her face harden at the scene. Her stomach felt queasy with worry over what would happen to him. Eventually, Kuro worked up the courage to speak the question overpowering all her thoughts since the fight.

“What will happen to you if Akatsuki’s Deidara is killed?” She pressed, grabbing his shoulder. Pointedly, she did not say the ‘original’ Deidara.

“I’ll disappear, shatter into a million little pieces I guess, hm.” The blonde casually answered as if speaking about the weather or the news stunt he’d pulled. Quickly, the shinobi fled from Kuro’s grasp as she gasped.

“Then why do you want to kill him so badly if that kills you too?!” Kuro demanded to know, a desperate look on her face.

“I don’t want to die, hm! But… letting him leave and hurt others is worse…” Deidara explained, looking away. “My turn, hm. Why didn’t you attack him earlier? I gave you an opening, hm!? He pushed, staring her in the eyes.

“I didn’t want to kill you, okay!” Kuro grumbled, not bothering with any attempts to avoid it. “Deidara… I… Onoki… Akatsuchi… we just got you back. I didn’t-I don’t want to lose you again!” She defended, holding her face in her calloused hands.

“That’s the problem, hm! You can’t fight him without thinking of me! Of what you did…” He retorted. “Kuro! There’s nothing, NOTHING, you can do to change what happened! You messed up, fine, hm. But, you need to focus on what’s going on right now! It’s the now that’ll become your memories. So, do something about what you can change, hm! And what we can change, is stopping me from hurting anyone else, hm!” Deidara panted, taking a few steps back.

“I-“ Kuro tried to argue, but the words died on her tongue. “That’s… that’s what you really want, Deidara?” She mournfully asked, feeling water drip down her cheeks.

“It is, hm.” He resolutely answered, not a single doubt on his face. Kuro opened her mouth to speak but the floor suddenly shook. Her hand flew to her mouth upon turning towards the tunnels.

The old woman screamed.

———

“Gramps! Akatsuchi! Wake up!” Kuro screamed as she held off her reflection, inwardly recoiling upon seeing her wear Akatsuki’s cloak. “Do you have no shame?” She seethed, pouring ash from her mouth. However, the copy merely jumped to the side to avoid it. She seemed unnaturally gleeful at her words.

“Nope! I have so much shame it’s practically tearing me apart from the seams! But, at least I’m admitting to it! Unlike the coward you are!” Her reflection scowled while aiming her attacks at the sleeping men. “But…” She drawled in a knowing voice. “I’ll get to you later once the old man’s taken care of, kay?” Kurokuro went, lifting herself up with a pillar. Kurotsuchi matched her moves step for step.

“What’s going on… Kuro…?” Akatsuchi drawled, finally awakening from his slumber. His eyes may as well have burst out from their sockets upon seeing the reflection in the cave. Furthermore, as the Kiri nin were already parrying the rest of Akatsuki.

“Protect Lord Tsuchikage! He’s its target!” She warned her friend who nodded at once. Meanwhile, Kurokuro tilted her head at the referral.

“One, ‘it’, you think so low of me?” The reflection singsonged after attempting to bypass Kuro’s defence of stone. “Two! Don’t call that horrible old man by title, coward!” Kurokuro demanded as she threw everything she had into fighting. As if she didn’t care about her own existence. Despite wielding the same skill set, Kuro struggled to fend the girl off.

Elsewhere, a similar engagement was being fought between Deidara and his reflection. Though, Kuro was too caught up in her own battle to focus on their quips and jabs. However, she was forced to when Akatsuki’s Deidara launched himself to the ground with a menagerie of clay explosives. The floor cracked and shook with the force of his insanity.

Until finally, the stone gave way and they tumbled down.

There was a large cavern underneath their base. They landed on a circular stone platform with numerous intimidating pillars surrounding them. A glowing fall stood in front of them, just far enough away that their reflections were hidden. A strange artifact lay atop the fall, lodged in the rocks but its glowing light made it plain to see. The water formed a basin below the platform. The group barely had time to study their new setting before the fighting resumed.

Kuro jumped on her reflection before she could tackle Onoki. They wrestled and rolled on the cold stone before Kurokuro freed herself.

“Come on! Running away? Who’s the coward now, huh?” Kurotsuchi taunted to stall the reflection. Kurokuro stilled, glancing at her and then at Akatsuki’s Deidara before casually shrugging.

“… Fine then. I’ll take what I can get.” Kurokuro smiled, raising her blade high. “Coward.” She insulted while charging forward. Kuro pulled the stone up as the reflection grew closer. Afterwards, she slid atop the raised mound to try and get Kurokuro from the back. But, the reflection already had a pooling well of lava for her and Kuro narrowly avoided the flames, tips of her hair being singed in the process.

They continued on almost equal terms before Kurokuro glanced to see if Onoki had an opening, unknowing creating one herself. Kuro seized her chance, plunging her kunai into Kurokuro’s chest. The reflection gasped as blue lines raced from the wound and danced across her body like paint to paper.

“Kill… them… make them… pay…” She madly begged, digging her cracked fingers into Kuro’s wrist. However, those proved to be her final words as her body went up in a pulsing blue light. Kuro sighed, dragging her hand across a sweaty forehead.

“Kuro!” She heard Deidara scream and sharply turned just in time to see his original dragging him towards the falls. Her heart dropped in her chest as she went white. Before her mind could catch up, her body was already rushing towards him. Kuro already had an idea of what the criminal was going to do.

“Heh, say goodbye, buddy, hm!” Akatsuki’s Deidara taunted with a grin as they grew closer and closer to the fall.

“No!” Kuro screamed as the blue lines on Deidara’s body seemed to grow faster and faster across him. His eyes, however, still held the resolute defiance of a mountain to the storm. With a final shove, Deidara and his reflection were thrown through the glowing waterfall. The lines cracked and fizzled as water raced across them. Soon, both Deidara and his reflection squeezed their eyes shut as the latter’s body began to glow.

It happened in an instant.

Kuro watched, too far away to intervene as two turned into one. A Deidara landed on the other side of the fall, soaking wet and gleeful. He wore Akatsuki’s signature cloak. Her legs turned to jelly and she fell to the ground.

“That. Was. Annoying, hm!” The criminal snarked before meeting her gaze. “Hey, Kuro! It’s still me, right, hm?” He smiled, taking slow yet eager steps toward her. Shakily, Kuro rose to fight him, the quicklime already forming in her hand when the blonde inexplicably froze. They stood there, like two stone statues on display as their comrades fought. The white of quicklime and clay ready to entangle themselves in the same combat.

“What... are you waiting for, huh?” Kuro whispered in a deathly voice. She hid the grief well.

“Kuro…?” Deidara whispered, the smile peeling from his voice, leaving a mound of despair in its place.

“Deidara…?” She repeated, though not daring to lower her guard. Suddenly, her former comrade’s body arched backwards as his hands flew upwards. “Are you-“ The kunoichi began when he started yelling.

“Stop already, you damn-This isn’t me! Stop! I can’t! Stop!” Deidara fought as if caught between two selves. Perhaps he was. Anyways, soon clarity fluttered into his blue eyes and he looked at her.

It happened in an instant.

“RUN!” Deidara screamed, lifting his hands high with a torn look on his face.

The light faded as the ceiling fell.

Chapter Text

Kuro gasped as her eyes flew open. Her back had a sharp pain coursing through it, and she hissed as a jagged edge poked her side. The kunoichi’s entire body ached, and she was blanketed in dust like some sort of ancient statue. In a daze, Kuro moved her eyes left to right. She was mounted atop a sea of boulders and rocks. The high cliffs of the remaining cave surrounded her like an arena. The sky was completely clear like a crystal rapid.

“I’m alive…” Kuro blearily whispered with a cough. The cavern must’ve been under one of the thinner areas of the mountain. Otherwise, they’d all been buried alive after Deidara’s explosion. The thought of her group causes Kuro to arch her back forward. Though, she curled onto her side at a spiking pain. “Akatsuchi… Gramps…?” Kuro weakly called out, shifting onto her stomach. It felt as if someone had sewn heavy stones into her gut that weighed down her every action.

She decided against repeating Deidara’s name. The memory of their last encounter was all too clear in her mind.

Kuro found a flash of red among the rubble, nearly crying of relief upon finding Akatsuchi’s unconscious, but alive form. Near him was a similarly asleep Onoki. She smirked, even then Akatsuchi - the infallible shield - had protected their Tsuchikage. Farther away, scraps of dark blue informed her the Kiri nin were close as well. Hopefully, they wouldn’t need to explain anything to the fiery Mizukage.

“Come on, Kuro… Get up…” The kunoichi scolded, forcing herself to push past the pain and stagger to her feet. Kuro coughed as she wobbled towards her comrades. She had to get everyone out of the area before Akatsuki returned. If they were all alive that is. Kuro froze as a shiver travelled up her spine. But, she shook the sensation away.

It was time to go. 

———

Unknown to Kuro, she was watched from afar. Deidara studied his former comrade with a blank face. His twitching hands still like one of Sasori’s puppets. His manic eyes were dull with thought. The criminal’s Akatsuki cloak was torn at the hems, revealing his plain clothing underneath. An ugly scar curled around his ankles, though he paid the injury no mind.

“Kuro…” Deidara whispered, an odd tone to his voice. There was something warm inside of him. It struggled through the chains of his thoughts. However, it would fall quiet soon enough. Though, that time was not the one he lived in then.

“Deidara!” Tobi shouted, his annoyingly giddy voice leaping over the wind. He sighed; it appeared Itachi and Tobi were back from their little detour. Both had spontaneously fled the tunnels after half of them were reflected. Though, he supposed it was lucky they hadn’t had to fight their reflections. For the others at least. The bomber himself would’ve loved an excuse to beat those two idiots to a pulp. “Did you find anything over there?” Tobi was yelling.

He glanced behind him, and then back at his former friends.

“It would be beautiful to blow them all up!” His mind rejoiced at the opportunity. However, something was off at the prospect; the lighting wasn’t quite right. The reds and oranges and yellows weren’t jelling together with the ashes of their corpses.

“Deidara!” Tobi was rambling. If he didn’t answer soon the weirdo would come over himself.

“Shut up! There’s nothing here, hm!” Deidara yelled back with an aggravated scowl.

Another day.

He’d kill them in a glorious explosion another day.

Deidara took one last look at his former comrade, drawing every detail, colour, and shade in his mind. He shook his head as that warm feeling grew cold. Finally, Deidara left the mountain.

———

A tiring two hours later, Kuro succeeded in dragging most all of their group from the rubble and onto a nearby cliffside. She watched over their injured forms while laying next to her comrades, allowing herself to rest.

“That Kiri scout should be back with help soon… We just got to wait…” The kunoichi murmured to herself, folding her arms across her belly. She took the time alone to think over her day. It had been so short yet felt so long. Kuro sighed while looking at her grandfather, recalling the terrifying face of Kurokuro as she killed her. The young woman was glad to have put that particular incident out of her mind.

Though, she was both relieved and sorrowful that it was over.

“Hello! Is anyone down there!” Another girlish voice rang true from above, disturbing Kuro’s thoughts. She tensed, grabbing a stray kunai to defend herself from the possible enemy. Her heart pulsed out of her chest as she feared the worst - Akatsuki. However, those notions were quickly dashed when Hana, the woman who’d pointed them toward the cave appeared. The other woman’s delicate features stared down at her from the cliffside’s top.

“Miss Hana?!” Kuro shouted as said woman paled, charming eyes dashing from her to the others. Before Kuro could protest, Hana began scampering down the cliffside, a basket in hand. “W-What are you doing here?” The kunoichi questioned as Hana unloaded a roll of bandages.

“I thought something was wrong… So… I came.” Hana explained, looking away back towards the rubble. “Is this… everyone?” She nervously pried, patting at her dress that looked odd among the rugged remains.

“Yes…” Kuro sighed, not wanting to trouble the woman with the knowledge that some of their scouts had died. However, a faint groan ensnared both of their attentions. Hana went rigid and slowly approached the rubble where the sound came from. “Miss Hana! Don’t! Please get out of here until backup arrives!” Kuro tried to disuse to no avail, uselessly forcing herself back up.

“Don’t worry, dear. I know what I’m doing.” Hana calmly replied in an eerily low voice. The woman crouched near one of the stones, struggling to push it away. “Could you please help me with this?” She requested with a small blush. Kuro scoffed, not saying a word as she moved the rock away. Though, the kunoichi hid her sharp intake at the usually easy task.

Kuro gasped as she caught sight of the figure under the rubble, her hands flying to her mouth in horror. She felt a cold dread clump in her heart.

It was the ragged, old woman.

Scarlet blood pooled under her like some kind of twisted bed. Her frail arms were bent backwards, and silver hair stuck to her head like glue. The elder evidently hadn’t been spared from the explosion, pained breaths escaping her dry lips.

“Dammit!” Kuro screeched, kneeling. She looked over her shoulder, silently begging for the scouts to have returned so they could help the elder. However, all she saw above was clear skies. Next to her, Hana had a face of reserved grief as she too knelt. However, the other woman seemed oddly unsurprised at their discovery than the kunoichi. To Kuro’s confusion, she took the elder’s bony hand in a tight embrace. Her confusion only grew when Hana spoke.

“Good afternoon… Ruri.” She politely greeted, gently tucking her silver hair away from fading eyes.

“Y-You know each other?!” Kuro awkwardly stammered, suddenly feeling all the worse at the situation. Hana softly laughed at her question, stunning her.

“Of course we do, right, Ruri?” The woman went, tensing when the elder didn’t react. “She’s… dying…” Hana sadly observed, removing her hands from Ruri. Kuro’s face darkened as she slowly nodded.

“Listen, I’m sorry but you really shouldn’t be here-“ The kunoichi tried to say before being cut off.

“I need to be here with her.” Hana interrupted with another quiet laugh. “Out of anybody in this world, I need to.” She continued, her fingers coiling around her long sleeves. The woman proceeded to roll the fabric upwards, revealing thick blue cracks decorating her arms. The cracks grew wider and tiptoes up her arms with every passing second. Kuro’s brow shot up in alarm as she quickly put together Hana’s meaning.

“That-Your-How-Huh?” The kunoichi went with an open jaw.

“Ha…” Hana laughed at her reaction. “Of course you’re surprised, I would’ve been too in your shoes.” She said with a calm aura. “I suppose I should explain before it’s too late…” Hana offered, still smiling her small lovely smile.

“Please do…” Kuro tired nodded.

“Once… upon a time. There was a lovely young woman in a lovely little village named Hana. That’s me.” The woman faintly glowed from the recollection. “This lovely young woman was adored by everyone she knew. Her family, her neighbours, her friends, the entire village loved her so. However, there was only one she could truly gift her heart and that was a young handsome man, her husband. She was so very happy back then…” Hana faintly choked as she paused.

“What… happened?” Kuro asked, looking from her to the elder in shock.

“But… But one day the village was invaded by some very horrible people. One day her husband died, her friends and family were either killed or stolen away. And Hana was alone in the world. She had to do some very horrible things to survive and called herself Ruri to cope. But one day she found a tool that could let her relive her beloved past. It would let her be with her beloved husband and friends. However, in her excitement, she slipped and ruined everything. She was forced to remain in her dreadful present, and I came to be as her past.” Hana explained with an uncharacteristic grimace.

“Miss Hana…” The kunoichi whispered pitifully.

“But… it appears our time is up. It was such fun to play pretend.” Hana cried, gently wiping her glowing tears. “Memories are beautiful things, aren’t they? We spend our entire lives wasting away, desperately wishing to return to the past…” She quietly sobbed, folding her hands over her lap.

Kuro’s eyes flashed back to many dreams of her childhood. Silently, she agreed with the shattered reflection.

“Here…” Hana murmured, reaching into a pocket in her dress. Kuro tilted her head as she brought out a small shard of shimmering blue glass.

“Is that…?” The kunoichi questioned in shock.

“A small memento from when I first woke up. And now that it looks like the artifact has been destroyed by your dear friend, this is the only part left.” The reflection explained, her radiant smile returned. “Take it…I don’t need it anymore…” Hana insisted, pushing the shard into Kuro’s palm. “See if you can make it work properly. Put it over your eye and make a wish to go back, and you’ll go back.” She went, before arching back. The cracks had made their way through her clothing and were close to reaching her eyes.

“Are you okay… with this?” Kuro prompted, holding the shard unsurely.

“I’ve been okay for a long time. I believe this is goodbye…” Hana smiled as the cracks reached her skull, a bright light engulfed her as the sound of shattered glass filled the air. It was only a moment.

And then she was gone.

Kuro glanced at Ruri, finding the elder had stopped breathing. Her heartbeat was dead as well. She stared at the shard again, pondering whether to try and use it. A part of her felt gleeful at the prospect of going back, to see her Deidara again. However, his reflection’s words rung out to her through the ecstasy.

“I need that bastard dead!” He’d spat out, her Deidara. Kuro’s expression hardened like stone and she safely tucked the shard away.

“A memory is just that… a memory,” Kuro said to no one in particular. “There’s no point in trying to go back. What’s important is how we honour them.” She added, looking back to her comrades with a determined expression.

The next time Kuro dreamed, there were no kids running down the street. There were no explosions or manic smiles; no Onoki chasing them down Iwagakure’s streets. Instead, Kuro dreamed of a world where Deidara was at peace. She dreamed of a world where there would be no other Deidara.

She knew what had to be done.