Kari was a bit shocked to say the least when she brought the jinchuuriki and there were cheers coming from the living area. Konan was waiting outside the door with an exasperated look on her face and when she saw Kari she said, "Don't go in there unless you want to see a drunken strip poker game going on."
Kari widened her eyes and then asked, "Would you please help me with the jinchuuriki Mother? I'm sure I can do it myself but… I think it would be a good idea if we take a break at my place for the time being."
Konan smiled and said, "That would be acceptable." Konan stood up and helped carry the passed out jinchuuriki to a secure holding cell.
Once Fuu was secure in the cell with paralyzing liquid scheduled to go into her system every 30 minutes, Konan and Kari left the Akatsuki base and headed to the outskirts of Amegakure where Kari had a nice place with enough property to have Ayu pleased. Konan and Kari slipped inside and Kari asked, "What would you like for a drink?"
"Some tea please. Oh and I never got around to asking but how's it feel to be a Jounin and part of ANBU?" Konan replied as she sat on a chair.
Kari nodded and asked, "It's different casue that's all that I can think of to describe it. So who was participating?"
Konan shook her head and said, "The ones involved in drinking were Kisame, and surprisingly, Hidan," Hidan usually declined because of his religion actually discouraged drinking, unless put up to a challenge, "And every male excluding Pein, were involved with the strip poker game; though I was surprised that Madara got himself involved."
Kari laughed as she brought in Konan's tea and said, "Well they'd underestimate Tobi that is for sure. Dad isn't one to lose. I'd even bet he and Kakuzu will be almost fully clothed by the end."
Konan nodded and took a sip of her tea. Kari looked out her window and noticed that the pavilion she had built for Ayu was completed and Kari started humming her lullaby, which happened to be Ayu's song. Ayu descended from the raining overcast and landed by the window. Kari held out her hand to pet the tip of Ayu's mouth and then said, "Ayu, your pavilion is finally done," She then turned to Konan and asked, "Mother do you want to visit with Ayu and me?"
Konan nodded and Kari jumped out the third story window and onto Ayu's back, followed by Konan. Ayu turned around and then walked into the pavilion entrance like it was a person walking through a house. The entrance had a chakra barrier that Kari had set up so only Ayu, Kari, Co, Mimi and the rest of the Akatsuki could enter without permission.
The inside was a huge dome, with plenty of room for Ayu to move around, that allowed air to enter and stay out depending on Ayu's preferences and the floor could changed depending on the need of Ayu. This whole place took a lot of chakra and skill from Kari and the ones she summoned to help her but it was all worth it when she saw Ayu's face. She looked so happy as she looked at the wall murals that were the history of her forefathers and the colors and jewels that went into it and the forever fresh food storage in the corner.
Kari hugged Ayu's neck as best she could and said, "I hope you like it."
Ayu smiled, "It is perfect Mom! It's even better than I imagined!"
Konan smiled at that and said, "And you two can be close to one another now."
Ayu nodded and then said, "And I don't have to shrink as much!"
Kari smiled and then turned to Konan asking, "So how long do you think Zetsu will be gone on his mission?"
Konan shook her head and said, "Not long but I can't be sure." She then looked up at the ceiling and said, "The guys should be done their game. If we take our time I'm sure we can make it back after they leave the room."
Kari nodded and said, "Ayu do you want to stay here or do you want to come with us?"
Ayu said, "I'll stay here. I need to eat any way."
Kari smiled and then hopped off of her back, along with Konan, and said, "I won't be back too late."
Ayu nodded and headed over to food and the two female Akatsuki walked and enjoyed the rain safely from under umbrellas. They took time to say hi to anyone who acknowledged them and praised Pein or the Lady Angel, and did a bit of window shopping. When they finally got back to Akatsuki base it wasn't quiet in the living area but they walked in any way and thankfully no one was naked, but they Kisame and Hidan were still having a drinking contest. Kari let out a sigh and sat on the couch next to Deidara with a, "Hi."
He smiled and asked, "When did you get back un?"
Kari smiled and looked up at the ceiling, "About an hour or two ago. Mother and I walked over to my place and showed Ayu her finished pavilion so we wouldn't have to see the strip poker game. Speaking of which," Kari looked over at Deidara from the corner of her eye, "How'd it go?"
He smirked and said, "I knew I wasn't a match against Kakuzu's money grubbing skills so I pulled out early un."
And Kakuzu nodded in Kari's direction and headed off to his room.
Kari laughed and said, "Well how did everyone else fare?"
Deidara said, "Well Hidan and Kisame lost quite a lot, seeing as how they were too drunk to think straight, and ended up stark naked. Kakuzu and Tobi kept having ties in the end so they ended up keeping all of theirs one surprisingly. Sasori-Dana was down to his pants and Itachi was the same status un."
Kari nodded and then Hidan and Kisame let out a loud laugh. Itachi and Sasori acknowledged her and then headed off to their rooms. Kari looked at the drunken pair and Kisame seemed to notice and smiled drunkenly and slurred, "Kari-chan! When did you get back?" and another shot of sake went down his throat.
"About an hour or two ago Kisame." Kari responded.
Hidan then took a shot of sake and said, "How'd you fare with the seven tails?"
Kari was surprised he didn't curse in that sentence but responded, "I got hit on my back but Ayu healed it for me. The seven tails is now down in the basement under lock and key."
Hidan nodded and Pein asked, "I hope Konan kept you away from the game?"
Kari nodded and Kisame yelled, "Yo! Kari-chan! Let's celebrate your capture of the seven tails with a little drink."
He took a swig and Hidan said, "Fuck yes!" following Kisame's example, "Come here Kari-chan! Have a drink!"
Kari laughed and said, "I'm not old enough."
Pein nodded and said, "And you two have had enough."
The sake glasses floated up into the air and over next to Pein on the table beside him. Hidan let out a string of curses and the room laughed as well as Kisame himself. Kisame put a hand on Hidan's shoulder and said, "Let's just call our contest a tie."
Kisame then walked away and said, "I'm heading in for the night. Night all!" and with a wave he was gone.
Kari hoped he wouldn't pass out like Hidan just did on the table, though it did cause more laughs around the room. Tobi then tackled Kari on the couch and said, "Yay! Kari-chan is back! Tobi is sorry for not saying hi when you first walked in the room!"
Kari hugged him back and said, "It's okay Tobi! A hi is the same whatever time it's given!"
Tobi laughed and Deidara groaned when Tobi brought him in on the hug, "What are you doing Tobi?"
Tobi just laughed and then skipped off saying, "Tobi's going to get Kari's gift now Deidara-san!"
Deidara's eyes lit up in remembrance and then got up and said, "Tobi! Don't you dare go in my room without my permission!"
They soon came back and Tobi was trying to get at the box in Deidara's hands saying, "Tobi wants to give Kari-chan the gift!"
Deidara growled, "No Tobi-teme!" Deidara tossed it over to Kari and said, "It's nothing big but when Tobi pointed it out we thought you would like it."
Tobi hovered over Kari's shoulder as she opened the gift and when she did she saw a little sweet looking treat and she smiled, "Thanks you two"
"Go ahead and eat it Kari-chan." Tobi said.
She nodded and took a bite out of it and it was wonderful. She slowly finished the rest and said, "It was really tasty."
Deidara smiled and she hugged the two at once saying, "That was really sweet of you two."
Kari giggled and then headed over to Pein and gave him a hug saying, "Night Father."
He patted her head and said, "Night. Zetsu should be back later tonight."
Kari nodded and headed out the door to go to her house, "Thanks again Deidara-kun and Tobi!"
They waved and she then in ten minutes of leisurely walking she was at her house, though she headed to Ayu's pavilion where she saw Ayu was asleep. Kari smiled and kissed the young dragon's nose and then headed back to her house; where she cleaned herself up and headed off to sleep.
She woke up instantly when she felt Zetsu's chakra enter her house. She sat up in her bed and when Zetsu popped his head from the floor she smiled and said, "How was your mission Zetsu?"
"It was easy but a bit boring." Zetsu replied.
Kari nodded and then said, "Glad to have you back home." And she got up and hugged him. When she released him she said, "Mimi-chan and Co-kun should be back from their missions tomorrow."
He nodded and then asked, "Are they still afraid of us?"
Kari pouted a bit and said, "They aren't afraid of you now, but they still aren't used to you."
Zetsu laughed and patted her head, "Well it's been a long day. We think we're going to bed."
Kari nodded and said, "Good night, but will you see if you could come with us?"
Zetsu nodded and then disappeared to his room with a smile. Kari then crawled into her bed and fell asleep.
When Kari opened her eyes she jumped in shock as she saw Mimi and Co sleeping on her bed, both had their arms wrapped around her shoulders and waist. Kari wiggled out of their grip before they could wake up and yelled, "And why are you two in my bed!"
They got up slowly and groggily looked at one another, then back at Kari with a smile and said simultaneously, "We have a mission with you today!"
Kari's eyes widened and then her mouth did and she tackle hugged them saying, "That's great!"
The three friends laughed and then a knock came at the door and Zetsu walked in, "I guess you heard the news."
Kari smiled and hugged her friends, "This really great."
Zetsu laugh and then asked, "Breakfast is ready"
Mimi and Co looked a little concerned but Kari jumped on Zetsu and said, "Let's go eat!"
The quartet headed down stairs and Kari asked, "So is Ayu up yet?"
Zetsu nodded and Mimi asked, "So how is Ayu-chan?"
"I noticed her pavilion is all the way up." Co stated.
Kari nodded and said, "She was really excited about it last night. If you want to go see the new pavilion I'm sure Ayu wouldn't mind seeing you guys."
They looked at one another and then jumped out the second story stairwell causing Kari to laugh. Zetsu said, "We hope you mission goes well. We hope it gets done soon."
Kari hugged Zetsu and then said, "I'll be back by my thirteenth birthday."
Zetsu smiled and they were in the kitchen, "I hope you do know the members probably won't do anything."
Kari laughed and said, "I'd be completely scared if they did do anything, let alone find out my birthday."
Zetsu nodded and placed the ham and cheese croissant on the plate in front of her just as Mimi and Co entered the room.
They surprisingly asked, "So what do you want for your birthday?"
Kari's eyes widened and then said, "Um… well the thing I want will only happen if Father decides to let you do it and I would have to protect you every step you take, and you would have to keep it a secret or be forced to forget." Kari let out a sigh, "It would be troublesome."
Mimi and Co looked at her with raised eyebrows and Zetsu said, "If you would like Kari, we could ask Pein-sama."
Kari looked at him with a smiled and said, "That would be great Zetsu!"
Everyone laughed and Co looked at his watch and said, "Well we have to get to our mission. See you Zetsu-san, and thanks for the breakfast," he said as he picked his up and hopped out the window, Mimi did the same but waved before she jumped and Kari gave Zetsu a kiss on the cheek and said, "Thanks a lot Zetsu!"
And Kari was running along with her team mates to Ayu. Ayu was already out of her pavilion and was waiting with their stuff already on her back and ready to go. They jumped off and took off into the somewhat clear, not raining sky.
Running, running, and more running; that's all this shinobi ever did. Kari was getting annoyed, which rarely happened and it was always bad news when she did. Mimi and Co were running towards her from the north so at least she knew that soon the shinobi would have to stop and fight. Ayu was making sure that everything was going good from the skies and that their prey doesn't have any back up, which she was.
Kari saw the long scarf of the shinobi and thought, "He's tiring down."
Kari threw a couple of Kunai at him and when he didn't dodge she suspected that it was a substitution; and she was right. She cursed and then quickly picked up the trail again just a little further ahead. And was glad when Mimi and Co caught him and Kari slunk down from the tree and made sure her bat mask was secure as she and her companions threw kunai at him.
He dodged all of them and made some hand signs which gave Kari the chance to throw a kunai right through both of the shinobi's hands and he screamed.
"No more hand signs for you now." Kari chided and her companions looked at her like she was a different person; which she was on missions.
Kari grabbed the man by lifting up with the kunai which was lodged in between some of the bones in his hands. The man screamed and Mimi let out a little yelp.
Kari slightly turned her masked face to her friends and said, "Sorry but this is how I complete my jobs." And then back to the man she asked, "Where is the scroll?"
The man whimpered and Kari just said when the man started to calm down, "Are you quite done yet?"
Co put a hand to Kari's shoulder and asked, "So you think you should be a bit gentler?"
"It might go a bit better." Mimi said as she stood in front of the man.
Kari shook her head and just moved the kunai out of the man's hand and grabbed him by the collar and asked, "I'll say it once more before things get worse… where is the scroll?"
The man whimpered but said, "Alright." He reached into his jacket but Kari grabbed his hand and pressed the wound which made the man's other hand grip her arm and sniveled, "I was just grabbing it!"
"What are you doing?" Mimi yelled.
"That's just too harsh-" Co started but Kari cut him off.
"You can't say my name, and as for the added torture I can't have the chance of him pulling out an explosive tag and getting away again." She then asked the man in a soothing voice, "Could you please tell one of these shinobi where the scroll is? Or should I have to make things worse for you?"
The man looked at the two behind me and then said, "Alright! It's sealed behind my headband."
Kari nodded and without any instructions, Mimi took off the head band and touched the seal after making a few hand seals and pulled out the scroll they were looking for. Kari then took the kunai she used to stab the man's hands and said, "Ayu has landed a bit further north. Could you guys please go ahead of me?"
They looked at her with concerned looks but Kari removed her mask and looked at them with a smile before saying, "It's okay. I just have to do a bit of interrogation."
They nodded, though they still had a disbelieving look in their eyes but they left all the same. She then turned to the man and said, "You know what's going to happen correct?"
He nodded and started to cry please for his life to be spared and reasons why he shouldn't be killed and Kari listened to it all before leaning down in front of him and then slitting his throat and covering his mouth so his screams couldn't be heard. Zetsu then came out from the ground and said, "So you're friends have seen your mission face. Did they look at you like they do at us?"
Kari nodded and said with a genuine smile, "Yeah but it was going to be sooner or later that they saw my ANBU mission face. So if you could see if Kakuzu needs this guy for a bounty. If not you get a treat."
Kari said and kissed him on the cheek and then skipped off to Ayu. Zetsu said, "And Pein-sama said yes to inviting your friends to the Akatsuki."
She gave him thumbs up and then joined her friends like the mission never happened.
When Kari told Co and Mimi of the news they cheered and kept asking her what she wanted but Kari just kept trying to change the subject. To tell the truth, Kari didn't know what she wanted for a birthday gift. The day went on and when they got home , and after Kari turned the scroll back to Pein, Kari said she was going to pass out on her bed and sleep. Her friends said, "Have nice long dreams!"
And that, Kari guessed, meant that they were going out shopping for her gift. She smiled as she snuggled underneath her covers but all she could think about things since she became a Jounin and then shortly after an ANBU. Add the fact that she was also an Akatsuki member on top of that and you get a busy schedule.
She rented this three story apartment with the land attached to it with Mimi and Co, but due to their missions, none of them really got to see each other and Kari was never really using the house that much, but then again, Kari's ANBU was her Akatsuki work, but with the members of the village instead of S-rank criminals.
Before she knew it Kari's eyes were closed and she was drifting into the land of sleep.
She woke up a little later to a knock on her door and when she looked out she saw a very smiley Mimi and she said, "There's someone waiting for you in the living room."
Kari looked at her clock and asked, "How long have I been asleep?"
Mimi said, "Only an hour. Co-kun and I came back cause we didn't realize most of the shops were closing up for the night, and when we came back your guest was just about to knock on the door."
Kari rubbed her eyes and then thought, "Wonder who it could be."
Kari walked down the steps and was surprised when she saw Deidara lightly chatting with Co, though the former cut the conversation off when he saw Kari.
Kari waved and said, "Glad to see you again Deidara-kun."
He smiled and said, "I thought I'd pay you a visit since I just got back and it was on the way back home."
Kari smiled when she sensed her friends trying in vain to try and eavesdrop and said, "So how was your mission."
Kari sat down next to her and said, "It wasn't bad but Sasori-Dana and I argued about art again."
Kari laughed, "You two are always doing that. Can't you just agree to disagree?"
Deidara smirked and then said, "Sorry but his art isn't art un! Art is a bang un! So what are your views on art un?"
A warm smile was tossed Deidara's way and she said, "I'm surprised you're now just asking me this." And she laughed, "Well I think as long as the person viewing the art is fascinated by it, it is considered art."
Deidara's face was lost in thought and he said, "Yeah, that does make sense un."
A message then came through the Akatsuki link and it said, "If anyone sees Deidara, or even if he is listening, tell him to get back."
Kari laughed and then hugged Deidara saying, "Nice seeing you again, but I'm really need to get back to my nap."
He hugged her back and then said, "See you tomorrow Kari-chan." As he got up and left.
Kari looked at him confused and asked, "What do you mean?" but thought, "Oh no… don't tell me…"
"Your birthday party, un." Deidara replied and then waved, closing the door.
"What I didn't expect is happening. That Akatsuki are having a birthday party." She thought as she went up stairs and fell onto her bed, "Maybe it won't be so bad. Creepy, but not bad."
A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! Thanks for reading and please review. Constructive critism is very much appreciated.
