The three began their journey to the Akatsuki base, although one was not at all willing. But seeing as she wasn't awake to protest, the trip back was a relatively simple process. Sooner or later, there would, of course, be some sort of riposte to Katsumi's capture.
But that was an obstacle to be crossed once they came upon it.
By the time they reached the base, the blazing sun hung lowly in the sky, a fading flame that scattered silvery-white ashes about the cobalt sky. Ginger bands of light desperately clung to the emerald leaves of trees, in such a way that they shone brilliantly.
Not much could be said of the Akatsuki's hideouts, except that they were extremely well hidden and numerous. Other than that, they were quite…plain. There were rooms for each member, bathrooms, a kitchen, basically, the bare necessities.
However, each held a unique quality to them. One day it might be the side of a mountain, and the next day, the hidden cave of a waterfall. These were small things Juueru found pleasant about life as an Akatsuki member, though ally would be a better word.
Juueru, Sora, and the unconscious Katsumi quickly slipped into a protective barrier, and found themselves inside the base. The meeting room, to be precise. Sora, who'd carried the young cat demon slung over her shoulder, placed her on the floor in front of their leader.
"So you've succeeded." The man stated. Not in surprise, but simply as a statement.
"Did you expect any less?" Juueru replied with a sneer. "But she's your problem now, Pein. I'm returning to my home for a few days. I do hope this place doesn't fall apart without me." She finished with a grin. Sora rolled her eyes at her partner's play of arrogance.
Pein simply nodded, which the two demons took as a dismissal. As they each headed towards their own respective rooms, there was a loud explosion from the kitchen, followed by yelling and calls of "sempai".
"Sounds like Deidara and Tobi are at it again…well; it's not my problem anymore!" She paused to pat her twitching partner on the shoulder "Good luck dealing with that, Sora-chan!" Her amused laughter could be heard even after she'd disappeared down the hallway, and Sora headed towards the direction of the kitchen, her expression unnerving even Itachi as she passed him in the corridor.
The screams of pain that were heard afterwards made him question whether he should investigate…but he decided against it. Continuing on his way, he stopped in front of a room. Knocking gently, he waited for a few seconds before hearing a muffled "Come in"
Upon entering, what he found was something that could only be described as hilarious. Juueru had been (unsuccessfully) attempting to force a massive amount of clothing into her backpack and, in the process, managed to get the ends of her auburn hair tangled within the zipper. It even looked as if she'd tried kicking it to make it fit…and gotten her leg stuck within the carrier as well.
Itachi quickly turned away to keep from bursting into a hysterical laughter. Holding the wall for support, he shook with mirth at the entire situation.
"Stop laughing you sadistic bastard! And close the door before anyone else sees me!" Juueru fumed with both anger and humiliation.
Locking the door once his breathing had calmed, the raven haired ninja couldn't help the upturn of his lips as he helped the wolf demon out of her…predicament.
"I believe it is best I not ask how this occurred." He began, knowing he would be remembering that moment for quite some time. "Knowing you, the answer is most likely ridiculous."
Juueru's face had taken on a bright crimson color as she finished packing. She averted her eyes from the man as she spoke to him. "So why are you here? Not that I'm displeased, of course. But I was hoping no one would see me like…that…"
Itachi by this point managed to regain his typical stoic expression, though his eyes still shined with a trace of amusement. "I only came to wish you a safe journey, of course."
"I shall return in a few days time, and you know this. You wouldn't waste your time with something so small. A farewell is not your only reason of being here, correct?" The girl responded from her seat on her sapphire shaded bed, her composure regained, and her eyes sharp.
He smirked, knowing she wouldn't believe him in the first place. "You are correct. I originally wanted to ask a few simple questions."
"Do they concern my life before I met you?"
"Indeed they do."
"Then I apologize, but I will not answer. Though I trust you to a certain point, there are some things I cannot share with you." She watched him, awaiting his response.
Time seemed to crawl along slowly as the two studied each other, and at the same time, held an air of familiarity. As if they knew one another so well, there was no need for words to convey their thoughts.
"Alright" Itachi stated simply, leaving Juueru confused as he began to walk back towards her bedroom door.
"…Alright? You give up so easily? That is unlike you, Itachi-nii." She said both warily and jokingly. He turned back towards her as he unlocked the door, a smirk upon his face.
"I have no need for you tell me. We both know I will find out, whether it is from your lips or not." And with that, he returned to the corridor, closing the door behind him. The click of the hinge echoed throughout the room and the finality left Juueru, for once, completely speechless.
Another explosion could be heard from somewhere in the base, followed by vaguely recognizable voices and with a sigh, Juueru teleported outside of the base, and began her journey home.
The Akatsuki base looked quite a bit less "pleasant" to her now...