As promised, the deleted scenes. Posted because I liked a couple of them, and the last one was so darn long I wanted get something at least out of it. XD

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("If we are slap bang in the middle of a bloody ocean when a storm blows up, where are we going to land? My clay doesn't work in the rain, un. And while in the air we make a larger target for lightning. So if you don't want to end up half drowned with your hair standing on end by the time we reach dry land, I suggest we take a lift. It doesn't hurt to use your brain sometimes, un.")

A little explanation that just didn't fit. XD

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The rest of the trip was filled with the sailors whizzing back in forth in a wild frenzy, preparing the ship to dock as the captain steered the ship into the welcoming bay. Deidara kept himself out of the way, calmly scanning the port they were pulling into and keeping half an eye on Tobi. The sun had almost completed its daily circuit, dipping low over the low built buildings as the day drew itself to a halt. They would have to find somewhere to stay the night, it was no use trying to get a head start and ending up hopelessly lost because you couldn't see a foot in front of you. The full moon had long passed, the thin sliver that remained approaching the new moon. There was barely enough light to show you the hand before you face, let alone the hidden root ready to sprain your ankle. An injury on this mission would be detrimental, as speed was of the essence. Dart in, dart out. Don't get yourself killed. Simple as that.

He chose a cheap enough hotel on the towns outskirts, knowing full well that if he chose more comfortable accommodations the rant that would ensue the instant he got home would be long and painful, in more ways then one. It was better just to humor the Akatsuki's money obsessed banker and settle for second best. Kicking the door open he dumped his stuff inside, slumping onto the closest bed with relief. Boat trips drained him both mentally and physically, and not for the first time he wished he had not accepted this mission. But when you haven't exactly been successful in collecting the rewards for your last couple of assignments, it was hard to argue with a steadily more impatient leader on what tasks they were given. At least he wasn't stuck trekking through sand country again, hiding in a small, gritty cave he'd fashioned for himself out of clay. The current Kazekage still hadn't quite forgiven him for what happened the last time he strayed there, and he preferred to sleep in a lovely warm bed instead of hunkering down with sand wriggling its way through his clothes. He sat up a little and allowed his eyes to stray across the room, dimly noting how Tobi knelt before a small refrigerator that had come with the room. He watched as the Masked nin dug a few items out of his backpack, placing them inside before turning towards him.

"Deidara Sempai? You still want to learn how to cook?"

Deidara forced himself up onto his elbows, tired eyes sparking with interest. "Yeah, un." Tobi smiled in his normal beaming way at the reply, levering himself to his feet.

"I'm going to out for a little while to pick up some more ingredients, if that's alright." He informed him, brushing off his coat's knees and heading towards the door. "When I get back we can start your cooking lessons. I think I'll start you out on baking cupcakes, since they're one of the easiest things to make and it'll help you master the basics. If we take it slow and work steadily towards the top, I'm sure we'll make a master chef out of you in no time!"

Deidara's eyebrow twitched slightly at the name 'cupcakes,' he wanted to cook a proper meal, not a treat for some pansy, but Tobi was already out the door, humming as he made his way to the nearest shops. Sighing in slight annoyance, Deidara settled himself down to wait, exhaustion dragging his eyelids closed.

I liked it, but it just wasn't needed. :(

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Reaching a hand into his clay as his hand mouth ate some of it greedily and began to mould it into a collection of his infamous bird bombs. If they were going to be stupid enough to all stand in one place with his abilities, they deserved their fate. His mind flicked briefly to the cloaked man, recognising him as the target they'd been set to eliminate. Only now did he realise why the leader had wanted them to kill an exiled ninja, an action he normally frowned upon. Deidara laughed aloud in his surprise, glancing back at the man while dodging yet another wave of arrows. He was impersonating the Akatsuki. His cloak wasn't a complete match, the clouds were the wrong shape and dotted all over the fabric, but the overall image was unmistakable. Red clouds on a black sky. Idiot. He glanced back over his shoulder to see Tobi stood firmly behind him, the blue glow of his chakra keeping his feet in place. If there was one thing the leader hated, it was impersonated. This guy was getting it easy compared what had happened to the last one. The other had had Itachi after them, with the strict orders to use his mangekou sharingan to make him endure hell on earth before killing him. Tobi, seeing his gaze, took a step forward and shouted a question to him over the wind.

"What should we do?"

Deidara glanced down again, noting how the men below had spread out over a larger area. Shame. From the look of things, they were clustered around the leader, a living barrier between them and their target. They would need to get through them first. If he let Tobi down at the edge of the clearing and bombed at the same time, he could act as a distraction as Tobi snuck in from behind. Looking back at Tobi once more, he replied simply. "We finish our mission, un. Kill anybody that gets in the way of our target." Tobi nodded, ducking as arrows streaked over head. "I'll be passing that area there in a few moments." He pointed, opening his hand and tossing his creations into the air. "Jump in the trees there and approach from the ground. Don't draw attention to yourself and get as close to the leader as possible. Kill him if you get the chance. We might as well complete our mission now." Tobi nodded briskly, hurriedly tuning his cloak inside out and replacing it over his shoulders. At Deidara's signal he leapt to the trees, his descent hidden by the multiple explosions that peppered the forest. Deidara turned his bird back to the center of the battle and shoved both of his hands into the clay bags he had at either side. Seeing the art his explosions had left behind, he smiled.

This was going to be fun.

Perspective Switch.

Leaves whipped at Tobi's arms and legs as he slipped to the ground, but he ignored them, determined not to be distracted as he looked up and watched Deidara swoop back to the fight. For a second he felt worry for his partners safety twinge in his chest, but he pushed it away, telling himself that this was not the time. Deidara would be fine, he'd survived far worse than this before the orange loving ninja came. Even if he was a pathetic cook. Smiling broadly at the thought, Tobi bounded forward, careful to make the least amount of sound as possible. Deidara-sempai had set him a mission, trusted him with it. He would not betray his trust by ruining the cover Deidara had wasted his precious clay on to achieve. Steadily nearing the battle site, he slowed his pace, slipping into the surrounding bushes and continuing that way. The ground shivered as another chorus of booms shook the forest, sending leaves scattering from the trees. Tobi grinned again, imagining the huge satisfied smile on his Sempai's face. He loved to show off his art.

The sound of men shouting burst through the forest from up ahead, making Tobi freeze and duck under the cover of an oak. Three men were running blindly through the forest, peppered with small scratches that Tobi assumed came from his partners explosions. One of them was limping badly, a large gash on his thigh sending blood streaming to the ground. He winced visibly with every step, barely able to keep up with his comrades.

"I don't know what he fucking expected, the git." The largest one muttered, slowing down to help his injured comrade match their pace. "We're not about to stay and let that maniac up there blow us all to bloody pieces for a couple of late night drinks. He must be out of 'is fucking head to mess with that lot. Yeah. Out of his fucking mind."

The remaining man glared at him, motioning at him frantically to shut up while he eyed the woods surrounding them. Tobi kept as quiet and still as possible, wanting to avoid unneeded violence. Once they were gone he could move ahead again, and help Deidara. Time ticked slowly by and Tobi began to get a bit impatient. They were taking so long, and Deidara needed Tobi now!

Perspective Change

Deidara swooped high above, cackling as he set forth another flurry of birds down on the panicking men below. What had started out as an eagerly awaited ambush now turned in a scene of complete and utter mayhem, most of the hired thugs fleeing from the unbeatable opponent in the sky. It was beautiful, the bloody craters that broke the ground, their centers steaming slightly as a scarlet rain pattered the earth surrounding it. A blissful smile curved up the sides of his mouth as his latest explosion rocked the world, sending a bloom of fire and dust into the sky. As it cleared he looked for the target, raising an eyebrow when he found him. The man was standing in the center of a group of still scruffy but more professional looking men, each of them crouched in a ready position that was all too familiar. Well, well, he thought, sliding his hands back into the bags. This should be interesting.

His next birds were aimed directly at the leader himself, their arched necks proudly bent as they bore down on their target. They were blown off course by a well timed stream of water that burst from a near by pond. He frowned in disappointment as his creations were thrown to the ground, soaked and useless. His frown turned into a scowl as he fixed his eyes once more on the target, anger boiling when he saw the smug smile on the fat man's lips. Thought he had the advantage, did he? Deidara grinned savagely, hand mouths working the clay once more. He had barely even started. While waiting for his hands to finish, he scanned the battle scene, smile fading as he noticed the distinct lack of Tobi. Where was the fool? He hadn't dropped him that far away, he should be here by now. Feeling his hands finish, he grinned once more, pulling his hands out of the bags. Tobi would have to wait; he had more important things to attend to.

He'd give that smug son of a bitch something to smile about.

Perspective Change

Stand up, weapons in hand. One kunai to the back of the head, another through a wide, shock filled eye. Dart forward, retrieve kunai, dodge wild blow, incapacitate, slit throat. Tobi stood, panting slightly, in the center of the small clearing, quickly releasing the body of one of the men that had held him up so long as blood spurted from his neck and onto his clothes. Gently rolling over a body with his foot, he retrieved his second kunai from where it had been thrown, pausing for a second to wipe it and the other free of blood before hurrying towards the still raging battle.

He had been held up for quite a while, and he dreaded the disdainful look he was going to receive from Deidara when he finally arrived. He didn't want to be late, but the truth was, Tobi was not a fan of needless killing. He could survive it if he had no choice, like if he or Deidara was in danger, it was in the way of completing a mission or if it was the mission, but nevertheless he preferred to avoid it. It was just so… messy, in more ways than one. He shook his head in an attempt to get his mind back on course, back to the battle he was about to fight. Although the fighters were weak, there were many of them, and under the current circumstances he could be easily over-whelmed. The best thing was to use the confusion to his advantage, slip through when no one was looking his way. Seeing a break in the trees ahead, he sped up his pace, eager to rejoin Deidara. The Iwagakure exiled nin was the closest thing he had to a friend, and he wasn't about to let him go so easily.

Perspective Change

The forenamed ninja grinned as he released his two latest creations, two slightly dragon like birds with double wings and whip-like tails. They were one of the fastest of his models, and it would take a lot more than a bit of water to stop them from reaching their targets. He allowed his bird to swoop down a little lower, focussing his camera on the group to see which of them originated from the village of mist. To his surprise it was the impostor himself, quickly forming a series of seals to release twin jets of water from the pond nearby and sending them tearing towards the steadily approaching bird. Deidara's grin widened at his look of dismay as the birds avoided the water with ease, swooping in for the kill-

He blinked. A large water shield, its surface glinting in the sunlight, had suddenly risen around the entire group, the source of it being three of the ninjas from the circle. His birds battered harmlessly against it, their explosions making barely a dent in the shields surface. He cursed, wheeling higher. A movement from the pond caught his eye. The pond's surface was rippling, shaking as if something was moving underneath it. He locked it with an inquisitive frown, curious. He'd seen water do that before, but where…? He guessed what it was too late as a large plume of water in the form of a water dragon burst into the air, opening its gaping jaws and hurting after him. He gritted his teeth in annoyance as he spun his bird out of the way with ease. This guy was a pain in the neck, for sure. Stupid, fat bastard. He was going to have to up his game. Spotting a flash of orange and black to the left of the field, he rolled his eyes, turning his bird in a circle towards it. 'Took Tobi long enough to get here. Waiting until the masked ninja looked up, he began to sign him instructions, keeping an eye on the target's movements all the while as another dragon rushed towards him. All he needed was to get him away from his followers…

Change of Perspective.

Tobi stumbled to a walk as he exited the tree cover, eyes automatically rising to search the sky for his Sempai. He paused as he received his new instruction, flashing the cream-and-black spec a grin and a salute before melding back into the trees. He was to help separate the target from his followers, so that they could kill them without reducing the target to bloody, un-bounty-tradable pieces. He hopped into a tree and took a look at the situation.

It took me bloody forever, and then I realised that I'd screwed the situation up. It was supposed to be a quick ambush, that caught them by surprise, but in this one they had time to recover. It didn't work with the story so I had to cut it. Didn't like it that much either. :( I hate fight scenes...