The ex-Iwa nin stared at his partner's hunched-over form as he remembered the words he had only heard a few days ago: "You will be replacing Orochimaru, Sasori will be your partner." Chilling winds broke Deidara's thoughts and brushed his blonde hair away from the scope over his left eye. Leaves skittered across Deidara's feet as the wind pushed Deidara's newly-gained cloak to one side of his thin body. Sasori turned his head, his hat now in place on his head. "It's time for your first mission, hurry up, brat."

Those were the first words that the ex-Suna nin had said to him. Deidara nodded. "Alright, Sasori no Danna...un." He answered as he went to follow his partner, for Deidara wasn't sure where they were going. Dead leaves crunched under the blonde's feet as he hurried to follow Sasori. Deidara caught up to Sasori; Deidara leaving footprints on the muddy, leaf-covered path... Sasori leaving thick drag marks. So I'm stuck with the fat old guy, huh...un? Deidara mused as he realized Sasori only measured up to his lower-waist.

Wind shook the bare trees and the blonde shivered. He felt alone, unaccepted, like he didn't quite belong because... well, he was new to the Akatsuki. Deidara hoped that his partner would be of some comfort. The blonde was desparate to have someone to talk to, someone to get to know... he decided he should start with his partner. The blonde inhaled, taking in the air that smelled of wet leaves and rotting wood. "So Sasori no Danna..." Deidara started, not quite su what he was going to ask his partner, "how old are you...un...?" He asked simply, not wanting to bring up a subject the other shinobi might not like... he didn't necessarily want to be enemies with his partner.

Deidara copied his partner's earlier actions and placed his hat on his head, covering his blonde ponytail and somewhat obscuring his view with the paper strips hanging from the edge of the hat.

Sasori stayed silent and the blonde started to wonder if Sasori was actually to the age where he was losing his hearing when Sasori spoke. "What does it matter, brat?" He asked harshly. Deidara flinched at the coldness of Sasori's words, but he persisted. "Just curious...un." Deidara mumbled in reply. Sasori hesitated. "Thirty-six." Deidara was taken by surprise at his answer. "What...un?! You look about ninety all hunched o-" Sasori cut Deidara's outburst short. "Shut your mouth," Sasori paused, "all three of them." The blonde closed his mouth and pressed his hands together in an effort to keep them quiet.

Sasori stopped when he heard Deidara mumble "ew." Sasori turned and saw discust twisting Deidara's facial features as the blonde stared donw at his connected palms. "Ew..." Deidara mumbled again, "they're kissing...un!" Deidara muttered slightly louder as he forced his palm-mouths away from each other. Sasori turned back around and headed the way they ought to be headed. "Disgusting." Sasori remarked coldly as he continued down the path.

Deidara felt as if a cold rock had just been shoved into his heart, making it feel heavy and cold. The blonde took a sharp, quick, breath in and continued to follow the ex-Suna nin.

Dark clouds rolled into the sky, shadowing everything around the both of them. The muddy paths now looked like trails of black ink, left by some huge being that forgot to not drag the inky brush on the ground. Deidara's visible eye drifted from his partner up to the darkening sky. His palms lay upward. The blonde glanced down at the mouths on his palms and sighed. They are disgusting, aren't' they...un? Deidara thought as he shifted his gaze back to the sky. Small drops of water started to seep through the layer of dark clouds. Deidara felt the cool drops of water hit his outstretched palms and he frowned.

"Why rain...un?" Sasori heard Deidara ask himself quietly in a somewhat whiny voice. Sasori didn't say a thing; the small redhead longed to be able to feel the cool raindrops like Deidara could. Inside Hiruko, Sasori curled his small, puppet-body closer together and attempted to look skyward inside the dark puppet, wishing to have the privilege of feeling the rain... just once...