Scroll 3: The Third Uchiha [Naruto]

Chapter 43: The Uchiha Prodigy [Shippuden]

**Authors Note: 

Welp here we go. I apologize in advance haha just let me know what you all think :)

Enjoy!

**

Deidara

Rin had given into her drunken exhaustion within the first hour of flight. To prevent her from falling off the damn bird I had to sit with her in my arms. She reeked of Sake, and I had wrapped in her my cloak so she wouldn't freeze as we got deeper into the desert.

"I don't feel so hot" She mumbled and I helped her sit straight.

"Don't throw up, that's my cloak you're wearing" I warned and she released a slow breath before rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"I think I'm still drunk"

"There were a few empty bottles when I walked in" I mentioned and she sighed as she crossed her legs.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Hidan" She replied and I nodded slightly. She pulled my cloak tighter around her as she pushed back her hair.

"When Leader said he was giving you a partner I thought it'd be me. Then he stuck you with Hidan and Kakuzu and I got saddled with Tobi" I explained, annoyed at the memory.

"He wanted me under control, and let's face it the two of us as a team. Chaos would be everywhere" I chuckled.

"You're the one that said we were friends"

"I said kind of sort of" She reminded. I looked over the edge of the bird, lights starting to appear below us.

"We're here" I said and helped her stand. She pointed to the building centralized in the village, the one that had the symbol for Kaze on the front.

"Take me to the Kazekage" I nodded directing the bird towards it.

"Remember the last time we were here?" I asked.

"You mean when you nearly flattened the village and I nearly died?" She replied and I smirked.

"Yeah, the good old times" She shoved my arm as I lowered the bird to the roof. I jumped off first before helping her down.

"Wait out here"

Rin

I didn't wait for Deidara to respond. If I kept stalling I'd lose my nerve. The alcohol, still warm in my stomach made it all that much easier but somewhere there was still a small voice saying leave. The only good thing was that Gaara's abilities meant fewer guards in this building. I paused at the door and felt sick to my stomach, the false confidence of liquid luck beginning to subside and be replaced by a hangover. I released a slow breath and shook my hands trying to shake it off before knocking on the door.

"Enter" I pushed open the doors and closed them behind me. Gaara was frowning as he stared down at his paperwork.

"What is it?" He asked annoyed.

"Hi Gaara" He got up so fast it made my head spin. His pen rolled off the desk and he fumbled to pick it up.

"R-Rin I wasn't expecting you, you never knock" He replied and I shrugged.

"It's not exactly a friendly visit," I noticed his smile fade as he became more serious.

"What's wrong?" I pressed my lips together then sighed.

"You've heard, what's happened recently?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I killed Chiriku, the Head Monk of the Fire temple." I started.

"And Asuma Sarutobi..."

"You killed him too" I brought my full attention to him. I had let my gaze wander but now I met his.

"What?"

"Word has reached even the farthest villages Rin. You destroyed the temple, you have dark chakra, and you killed the remaining members of the Twelve Guardians" He listed them all, spitting the words at me.

"And you believe that? All of it?" I asked.

"What do you expect me to believe? I haven't seen you for weeks and you show up in the dead of night confirming what I already knew" His voice was harsh and condescending. My nerves had faded and now my blood, fueled by what was left from the alcohol, had started to boil.

"You know people used to tell me you were a monster to Gaara and I never believed them. To me, you were just Gaara."

"I changed, I became the Kazekage. Rin you're a criminal" The words stung, from him. I acknowledged it, but hearing it from others, hearing it from people I thought still believed in me made it so much worse.

"You're right Gaara" I replied bitterly.

"And knowing that this is what you think of me makes this so much easier" I continued.

"You've said it yourself. I'm a smear on your name. Your people will rebel if they know you associate so personally with a criminal." It's what I had rehearsed, so many times in my head since I was taken prisoner by the leaf. What I knew I'd have to one day say out loud.

"It's over," I said quickly. It came out as one word instead of two. The silence was deafening and I listened to his footprints as he got closer. I let him tilt my face up and his eyes looked into mine.

"You're drunk" He replied. I sighed.

"Sober it'd still be the same. We can't work, not anymore." I said firmly.

"So this is it, this is how we end?" He asked and I nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry" I replied softly.

"But the start of the conversation only confirmed what I already knew." He glanced down and I stood up a little to kiss his cheek.

"I'll see you around," I said gently and turned to the door.

"You have 5 minutes" I paused, my hand lingering over the door. I glanced over my shoulder and noticed his eyes were glassy.

"What?"

"For you and your friend outside the door to get out of my village, you have five minutes." I stood straighter then and gave a stiff bow. He avoided my gaze as I lingered at the door. 

"Goodbye Gaara" I pushed open the door and Deidara stumbled back. I caught his jacket and slammed the door shut behind me with my other hand.

"Seriously?" He shrugged.

"You were taking a while" He replied with shrug. I sighed as I pushed him ahead of me.

"C'mon we have five minutes to clear the village. I think I'm sober enough to use dark ninjutsu"

"You think? What happens if you screw up?" He asked as he sped up down the hall.

"I guess we'll find out, just stay..." I stumbled, slamming into his back.

"You expect me to believe you're sober!?" I shoved him, trying to keep him moving.

"I-I'm fine just..." I stumbled again this time a pain shooting through my head.

"No, no not now" I muttered through gritted teeth. I tried to take a step but this time the jolt knocked me off my feet. I felt the edges of my vision blur as Deidara ran back.

"We don't have time for this" I felt him lift me onto his back and my grip tightened as we got farther from Gaara's office.

"Deidara, D-Deidara please we have to stop" I managed.

"We don't have time Rin!" He shot back and I held tighter to him as I felt pain ripple through my body. I couldn't hold it back, the scream and somewhere in the distance I heard another. Deidara slid to a halt as we stopped near the exit. I felt him set me down and he tilted my head up.

"Rin, Rin hey what's going on?" I heard him snap his fingers a few times and managed to meet his gaze. I wanted to respond. I wanted to say something, anything but the corners of my mind had begun to darken. I couldn't even hold my own weight and felt my body sag to the ground. I tried to focus on Deidara's voice but the only thing I could hear was the faint scream from down the hall.