#claygobs

Sasuke had stopped by the small village here, not too close to a shinobi village but not too far away, either, to get some supplies for his journey to the Land of Frost. A large woven bag in his left hand and a couple apples in his right, he stood in front of a fruit stand perusing their wares. Trying to remember what fruit would still be palatable if they ended up getting too cold or frozen. After a moment, he thought he remembered, way back in his memory, someone in his family telling him that apples didn’t freeze well. So he put it down and picked up some oranges, inspected them for a moment, and gestured to the shopkeeper. “I’d like to buy seven of these,” he said.

He was pulling some money from his pocket when he sensed a familiar chakra. But he thought they shouldn’t be alive. Pausing, he turned his head towards the source and focused his attention. It was indeed Deidara of the Akatsuki. He had survived. “Hm,” he all but grunted, in sort of interest, thinking he might as well check it out. 

Handing the shopkeeper the money, he stashed the oranges in his bag. He headed quickly towards where he sensed Deidara’s chakra, masking his own so he could creep up on him, hopefully unnoticed.

“So, you’re the little shit they’re teaming up with me, eh?”

He sure as hell hoped that Pein brat knew what the hell he was doing, especially since he was guarding his eyes until the day came to reclaim them. But, until then, he had far too much time to burn until the Tsuki no Me would come to fruition, especially since the body he donned then and there had been sacrificed by one of the Six Paths of Pein despite how little it really took, the King of Hell could only keep his body and soul intact for so many years at a time, and he was fast reaching his limit. So, as the Uzumaki had said, with Sasori’s death meant a new partner. And, last he checked, the Iwa-nin hated Uchiha.

All the more fun to make prey from the little clay bird he was allowed to toy with.

Sasori nodded, lip curling up in disgust as he viewed the painting. With a variety of found objects adhered to its surfaces (some from Zetsu’s fridge, others from the puppeteer’s spare parts bin), it was truly a grotesque, misshapen thing.

It had two coal colored eyes, a poorly placed crown of thorn and marbles, and strips of flesh and skin lined up to form an asymmetric face. In the lower left corner, a small Jashinist circle served as a signature.

At first glance, it seemed that the artist was trying to make a statement about death and the glorification thereof. More likely, the artist had no taste, and had simply slathered glue over shiny, violent things and thrown them at the canvas, hoping they would stick.

Overall, the eclectic mixture of media disoriented the eye, ultimately leaving the viewer so confused and dissatisfied that even Sasori had to take a moment to collect himself.

|| 「 Is it wrong to be curious? 」

  His chuckle could be heard even high up in the trees. Of course, it was for both of their safety.

@claygobs / cont. A smile is instantly brought to the vipers lips, but it is not his usual sinister one. Instead, he meets the others hostility with a patient expression. Perhaps because he isn’t intimidated, perhaps because he knows the younger nin will only find the gesture more frustrating. And truthfully, there is nothing more entertaining than the look of petulant rage on anothers visage. He hums gently before he responds, tasting every syllable. “Seems like you haven’t changed much from the impetuous child you used to be, now have you dear?” The viper folds his arms over his slender frame, assessing the others movements carefully. If the explosive nin wishes to fight, the Sannin will oblige him. But if he decides to be wiser with his actions, then perhaps the serpent may accept that alternative too. After all, the two had more in common than they may think. Both belittled by the Akatsuki, bot bested and killed by the Uchiha brothers. Either way, the viper gives him a chance to correct his previous threat, head tilting to the side as if he questions a child speaking out of turn.

“Killing me isn’t in your best interest. More importantly, it isn’t in your capabilities either. I’m sure you’ve gotten stronger, wiser even... but you shouldn’t forget that so have I. Is this a battle you wish to pick then? I’m content either which way.” By no means does the Sannin underestimate the blonde across from him. Deidara had not earned his place in the Akatsuki for no reason. And they certainly hadn’t sent Uchiha Itachi to fetch him had they thought the young nin inconsequential. 

░▒▌╳▐ ɪʟʟᴜsɪᴏɴɪsᴛ

      THERE WAS a distinct feeling in one's body when submitted to this particular forbidden jutsu. One felt alive but empty—with a consciousness that knew one should feel pain, but your body does not. It's the result of your soul, your essence, trapped in a foreign vessel. Yet, it's not the first time that Itachi had experienced this and back then, it was supposed to be over the moment he and Sasuke neutralized Kabuto and dispelled the jutsu but evidently, someone else has somehow used the technique again. This time though, their will was not RESTRICTED in any form and the user's chakra was no where to be felt or traced back to. It's puzzling, even for the prodigious Uchiha who's mind always finds a WEAKNESS to exploit in his opponents.