Title: Secondhand Faith
Chapter Title: Fight, Flight or Curse Like Hell
Author: Lell
Current Rating: PG-13. This is mainly Tayuya's fault…
Warnings: Spoilers…pretty much up until the current chapters. While considered an AU, many things in the timeline remain the same. So, read at your own risk (though that warning applies to most of my work…) Tayuya's mouth and all subsequent obscenities and breaches of political correctness attributed to her.
Summary: They got Sasuke back (yay), Itachi died at his hands (more yay) and Konoha emerged triumphant after having been to hell and back in a handbasket (innumerable amounts of yay.) But sometimes peacetime is just as harrowing as war when old enemies and not so old friends convene at this year's Chuunin exams. (AU futurefic starring the Sand Sibs, various Otonin and the Konoha ensemble. All at once. Fear.)
oOo
Practically, Tayuya had been aware that the sand-bitch would be there. One didn't deal with Suna without dealing with the Kazekage and his siblings and, as Kidoumaru had briefed her before leaving, she had to behave herself and not to allow that giant fucking chip on her shoulder to become apparent.
She'd told him (quite creatively) where he could put his edicts of 'tact' and 'diplomacy' but he'd walked away satisfied knowing that that was just Tayuya's own delightful way of saying she'd acknowledged whatever she'd just been told. It wasn't a promise to obey, but it was pretty damn close.
And she'd been fairly sure that she would behave…or at least not snarl at the kunoichi. She was, she had decided, over it. Over the whole losing thing, over the whole nearly dying thing, over the whole having to rely on Kabuto's machines to breathe for a week afterwards because of the bitch with the fan thing – she'd only survived because she was like a bloody cockroach, even with a broken leg, six cracked ribs and severe internal bleeding: impossible to kill.
Good intentions were, of course, useless.
Because when she'd felt the weight of a gaze upon her and looked up to see that spiky-headed, shadow-wielding loser and then the blonde woman with those ridiculous cluster of tiny ponytails staring at her, the world gained something of a red tint. Her right leg – the one shattered in the fight nine years ago – ached with a sudden ferocity and her nose picked up the sharp, coppery tang of the blood her too-tightly clenched fingers were drawing from her palm with their nails.
There were moments in life when people sank down to their basic instincts. The human body was uniquely suited to emergency situations; sucking blood from some areas and shunting it to others, adrenaline injections, the shutdown of unnecessary brain functions. In response to negative stimuli (the hard line of a fan, green eyes, dusky blonde hair) the body was entirely capable of practically devolving until its only concerns were fight or flight. And Tayuya didn't do flight.
Were she being honest, she hadn't precisely meant to let her chakra surge like that – starting a crucial diplomatic meeting with what could quite possibly be counted as an act of hostility hadn't been in the plan – but there were some things in life that you couldn't control and her reaction to the woman who'd nearly killed her and so casually was not of the calm-and-rational variety.
And since her chakra was flaring and her eyes were positively dangerous and her irrational fear translated itself into a spike in killing intent, it was probably fair that Temari too switched over into battle mode. The overly large fan was out and halfway on its way to unfurling itself in the Suna shinobi's practiced hands, Tayuya was reaching for her flute in response and the situation was speedily moving towards becoming a nasty one when it was abruptly halted.
Kidoumaru had always had ridiculously fast reflexes, ones he claimed he'd gained because Tayuya was so volatile most of the time. He'd kicked into action just about the time the two kunoichi spotted each other and the glob of web he'd hastily produced was spat at Temari's fan, effectively sealing it, just as he'd grabbed Tayuya. Two sets of arms went into restraining her – one around her torso, the other's hands covering her mouth – while the remaining pair held its hands up in the universal gesture of 'please don't shoot me.'
Around them, shinobi were tense and on edge, wary as to see just where this was going and ready to aid their respective comrades. Kidoumaru's large hands kind of restricted her view, but she could see the scruffy blond in the Kage robes looking pissed off as all hell and his redheaded counterpart looking intent, but not overly worried.
"Peace," Kidoumaru said. For good measure, he repeated it. "Peace. She didn't mean it." Tayuya wanted to yell, to insist that she had meant it, just that she hadn't meant to mean to do it. His large, warm hands stifled her words though and she had to settle for biting him. Kidoumaru gave no sign of having noticed. "She's just a little…difficult."
'Bastard!'
"Kidoumaru, kindly control your pet, please."
Tayuya knew that voice. Kidoumaru did as well. Both looked towards where Uchiha Sasuke stood looking cold, haughty and very much a shinobi of the Leaf. Tayuya's eyes narrowed balefully at their once-comrade, but Kidoumaru was more tactful than she, a better actor too. "Sasuke-san," he said smoothly and she felt the passage of air near her shoulder signifying the incline of his head. "How pleasant to see you again."
The Uchiha's reply, when it came, was a chilly one. "Hardly pleasant when Tayuya seems determined to cause a riot within minutes of your arrival." His cool gaze raked over the two of them and, irritated, Tayuya struggled against the iron cage Kidoumaru's wiry arms made around her. "You're late."
"There were some delays in crossing the border," Kidoumaru explained. A single finger flexed warningly against Tayuya's bicep and the firebrand stepped on his foot by way of retaliation. Again, he paid her no heed, instead turning his diplomat's smile and tone to Temari who was gingerly examining the gummy web that glued her fan closed. "My apologies." Whether he was referring to the web or to Tayuya was unclear. "Our intentions were not to cause trouble." Temari looked sceptical. "She was merely…surprised to see you." It was different knowing your enemy was around by word of mouth and seeing them in the flesh, fully capable of hurting you once more.
Her suspicion didn't exactly disappear, but it faded and Tayuya watched the Suna kunoichi dip her head in acceptance. "She was probably as surprised to see me as I was to see her." It wasn't friendly, but it was a gesture of neutrality at least and it seemed to satisfy Kidoumaru because he leant down to place his lips by Tayuya's ear.
"Ready to behave now?"
She rolled her eyes, but the desire to be free overrode that to make a snide comment and she nodded. He carefully unwound his many limbs from around her, satisfied with her answer, but he did wave Jiroubou up to stand beside her, so his estimation of her hold over her temper wasn't one hundred percent.
Technically, Kidoumaru didn't outrank either of them, but it was generally acknowledged to let him take the lead in…delicate situations. He had the tact Tayuya didn't possess or want and the verbosity Jiroubou found difficult in the presence of anyone other than their small, select group. In the end, it was easier to let him be the one to bow to the gathered leaders and their aides with not a whit more or less respect than they were entitled to.
"Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama," he started and the refinement to his voice made itself more obvious now that he was acting in an official capacity. "We apologise for our lateness and greet you in the name of Otogakure." The usual ceremonial bow was perfect coming from him, graceful too and in a way that Tayuya had never quite grasped. She scowled and Jiroubou's heavy hand was a warning weight on her shoulder.
She didn't much care for the pomp and circumstance of politics – it didn't interest her in the slightest – so her eyes drifted over to where both Shikamaru and Temari were watching her. The man she'd practically beaten and the woman who'd taken that victory had taken from her. Not two of her favourite people in the world.
Neither was the ink haired and eyed man who stood with the Konoha party. Uchiha Sasuke, traitor extraordinaire. On two counts. Anger flared up in her again and Jiroubou squeezed her sharply. Tayuya shrugged him off brusquely and returned to her contemplation of the man who had brought the Sound Four up to its titular volume after Sakon and Ukon had died on that harrowing mission to fetch Sasuke in the first place. He'd appeared content. Not happy, never happy, but capable and certainly full of a desire to improve and a willingness to use the experience that being part of the Sound Four offered him to reach that. He wasn't much of a team player and had, more than anything, led them, but Tayuya had gritted her teeth and borne it because such were Orochimaru-sama's orders. They'd operated surprisingly well together, ignoring Tayuya and Sasuke's frequent clashes and his impatience with Jiroubou. He and Kidoumaru seemed content to leave each alone else the spider-nin would have needled him in the same way Tayuya had done whenever she felt particularly restless or hateful or insignificant.
He'd set his snakes on her a few times, but that had come to be both normal and expected.
They'd settled down into a routine of sorts, functional in its discord. They had worked, they had been successful and Orochimaru-sama had been pleased. Fulfilment had been something of a foreign concept to her, but she hadn't refused it. Otogakure had prospered as a village, growing in strength and size while remaining a mystery, shifting bases periodically. They were truly a hidden village and Tayuya, not having known anything better growing up, was almost content to get older and stronger with each passing day. She wasn't the sort to be happy, but she didn't want to leave.
Then had come that mission to Water country when her functional little world had come falling down.
The Hokage was responsible for that: his little pink chit as well. Uzumaki fucking Naruto, who'd never really been all that far from Sasuke's mind had stolen him back with the help of the Haruno chick and Orochimaru-sama had been displeased, very, very displeased.
These were dark memories to which Tayuya didn't even want to give the time of day to and she wrenched her mind away angrily. She certainly wasn't happy to be here in the company of the far too close Sand and Leaf, but she hadn't been willing to be left behind…
…and Kidoumaru expected her to behave. Her shoulders slumped a minute amount in frustration and resignation and she muttered a few favourite curses under her breath, wrapping them around herself like the security blanket she'd never had.
Tayuya hadn't expected Kidoumaru to hear her and she certainly hadn't expected him to be sympathetic, but he turned towards her anyway. "Tayuya, Jiroubou. Why don't you go and organise the genin? Temari-san and Kankurou-san will be showing us to our assigned quarters soon enough."
She could have quibbled and she usually did so because he expected it, but Tayuya was uncomfortable under all these eyes so she nodded curtly and stumped off, Jiroubou following like an oversized shadow.
Her own genin team swarmed over as soon as they saw her approach, all wide-eyed and, well, ten.
Their interest was actually welcome distraction, not that she let them in on the fact. Indeed, she glowered at them and dealt out a suitable head-smack when the taller boy asked too enthusiastically why she'd been trying to kill the blonde lady with the fan.
"I wasn't trying to kill her, you prat," Tayuya told him with the casual abuse she reserved for people she didn't actively dislike.
The girl crowded into her personal space and Tayuya frowned, but didn't banish her. "You seemed rather angry at her, Tayuya-sensei. And Kidoumaru-san sent you away."
"He did not send me away," the redhead pronounced through gritted teeth. "Dai, Seiichi – pick up your bags. We'll be leaving soon." Dai, pale with light brown hair, obeyed promptly, but her team's troublemaker dallied about, still hitting her with a barrage of questions. The fates had been laughing when they'd arranged which children Tayuya would be assigned as her first genin team. Dai and Kaede, a peaches-and-cream complexioned blonde, were well behaved, judicious and astonishingly polite – ironic given their sensei's lack of respect for manners and exceedingly foul tongue. Seiichi was polite only when he remembered to be, but was still ridiculously cheerful.
They were enough to give Tayuya a migraine with their diametrically opposing personalities to her own.
They were also young in comparison to many of the genin teams here, but most of the Sound candidates were – a direct result of their need for chuunin and the fast-track programme they'd been put in. All three were rather talented, even for fast trackers, and Tayuya didn't expect them to humiliate her too badly otherwise they would be Having Words after this. Having Physical Words.
She was a tyrant and they were her little soldiers, one two three, and (oddly enough and for reasons unfathomable) they adored her. Even when she was cranky and angry and chased them off with foul language to make coffee for her.
And that was kind of…nice.
She smacked Seiichi again and he whined in protest, but finally picked up his pack. By that point, the sand-bitch and her brother were approaching, presumably to play the gracious hosts and lead them to where they were staying (under firm guard, Tayuya remembered.)
The kunoichi from Oto with hair like fire let her lip curl a little, but she also let her genin fall in line behind her – Dai, then Kaede, then tall Seiichi to finish them off.
"Remember to be nice, Tayuya-sensei, otherwise Kidoumaru-san won't be happy," Kaede whispered at her, trying to be helpful.
"Shut up, brat."
Tayuya could feel the blonde girl smile even without seeing it. For a moment, she was almost tempted to do the same. Then she remembered she was hardcore and grimaced.
It was time to play nice.
oOo
The Oto party were betting behind Tayuya's back on just when she'd slip up fully. The smart money was on during the first few days when formal functions would drive her mad. For all that she was temperamental, the shinobi from Sound quite liked their firebrand leader (one of them, anyway) but made sure that they liked her from a distance – Tayuya didn't approve of fondness, not really.
Kidoumaru was as much a gambler as he was a genius and he had the added advantage of years of Tayuya-wrangling under his belt. His bet was on the start of the actual chuunin exams and Jiroubou agreed with him because both of them had suffered the attentions of a competitive Tayuya.
The two of them shared an amused glance as she grudgingly followed their guides with her ducklings in tow.
Bringing their female companion to Suna may not have been the wisest thing to do, but it was bound to be pretty damn entertaining.
oOo
Author's Comments:
Yes, the chapters are still pretty short. But it's just because the scenes right now are short – I want to keep the story pace up while negating my usual habit of waffling. Short scenes keep things flowing, get things progressing and it seems to actually suit my writing style – cranking out four thousand word chapters like I usually do actually takes far more than double the time I take writing a chapter with half the word count. Usually, by the fourth chapter in any of my stories, writing has become a chore, whereas with Secondhand Faith the chapters are still flowing freely.
I choose this method any day – it leaves me less stressed, particularly with this being my last year of school and there being a need for me to actually work.
I like writing Tayuya, I shan't deny that. I particularly like turning her into a grey-character, not completely black or white in motive. Hell, I'm fond of doing that with most characters since I have an innate dislike of absolutes. When I write a character, I want readers to dislike parts of them and like parts of them. My problem with too many fanfictions is that their protagonist is always portrayed favourably (even in their bad times) and is designed to receive sympathy, while the antagonist is written to be disliked.
Shades of grey, people, shades of grey.
P.S.
I get upset when Word tries to Auto-correct 'Tayuya' to 'Toyota.'
In next week's episode…
Sakura and Ino had coerced her into a kimono. She wasn't entirely sure how they'd done it, but they'd managed anyway.