'Konoha is going to war!' Tsunade's words echoed in Tayuya's skull long after the meeting ended.
She received a summons for tomorrow morning for her to present her thoughts and expertise on the battle plan. Being former lackey of Orochimaru, her knowledge would prove invaluable.
She stole a look at Anko, who was walking next to her with similarly solemn look on her face, probably thinking about the same thing.
War… War will never change. There will always be losses, and knowing Orochimaru, he won't sell his snake hide cheaply.
The campaign will be horrid and gruesome. The snake Sannin surely already knew about the invasion and was doing his absolute best to turn the entire country into one enormous death trap.
Tayuya sighed, her heart dropping in her chest. She had hoped that after the events of the Sea Country mission she wouldn't have to be anywhere near that psychopath; those hopes died in an almost spectacular fashion.
The day was beautiful, almost mockingly so. 'Kami just loves to fuck with me...' She thought dryly, looking at the sky.
"Well, I guess we'll have to test the results of your training in a real life combat situation." Anko told her, patting her arms.
"This will suck like hell." The red headed girl sighed.
"I know, and the Hokage knows it too. You saw her face when she announced it." Anko shook her head.
"Can I tell the others?" Tayuya asked.
"Would it stop you if I said no?" Anko sighed, defeated."But good girl for asking; you're learning." That comment earned Anko one big middle finger.
"Gonna go find the rest," Tayuya called as she ran off.
"Don't forget that tomorrow you will be helping to plan the offensive strategy!" Anko shouted after her.
"How the fuck could I forget?" The kunoichi shouted back."Milk Tank would rip me a new one if I did."
"...so that's what the whole fuss was about." Tayuya explained to the stunned genin.
"What a drag..." Shikamaru groaned. " Just what we needed."
"Tsk, what do you worry about? You think they're going do drag a bunch of genin into war?" Tayuya countered. "Me, sure. I know the stuff. Minty? Yeah, a Jinchuriki is basically a walking demon cage, but the rest of you?" Tayuya shook her head." Konoha isn't that fucked up to send brats into real combat when there's no need."
"Hey!" Sakura protested." We're shinobi, not brats!"
"The only real war you fought was when we, along with the sand fuckers, invaded you. You fought on your ground, in your city." Tayuya explained slowly, if a bit bluntly. "In Oto every fucking leaf will be booby trapped, not to mention his underground hideout filled with horrors that made even me retch."
At this point even Choji stopped his munching.
"But," Tayuya added quickly, "like I said. It's most likely that Minty and I will have to go through that shit."
"Yay!" Fu cheered. "Adventure!"
Tayuya facepalmed.
"I don't think that you should be that happy." Ino suggested. "Actually, I'm quite relieved that I most likely won't have to go."
"Hm… Neji tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You'd be wasting great opportunity to gain experience." Sasuke nodded in agreement. "Oto is a relatively small country, with a force more dozen times smaller than ours.",
"Trust me, a weakling wouldn't survive a week there, so don't underestimate Oto nin." Tayuya warned. "They may be bunch of scumbags, but they're a tough band of scumbags. The main force, aside from locals, is comprised of nukenins from the surrounding elemental nations. This gives them a wide array of skills and jutsus at their disposal, not to mention a large supply of Orochimaru's experiments."
"Which are?" Shikamaru asked.
"You remember how I and my previous faggoty teammates looked when he used cursed seals?" Shikamaru, Neji, Choji, Kiba and Lee nodded. Shino began sulking the back.
"Well, the thing is that the cursed seal was kind of new development. In its earlier forms it either killed you, made you stronger, or mutated you into some sort of fucked up monster. They're strong as hell and don't give a damn about life." Tayuya punctuated her words with a glare. "In other words, they're willing to die if that means getting to rip you to shreds."
The collected genin turned ghostly white.
"Y-You think that they will bring Naruto-kun back?" Hinata spoke for the first time. Naruto's sudden departure had left a gaping hole in the group. It was like something essential was missing, something so obvious that it was almost painful to not have it.
"I very much doubt it." Neji shook his head. "Such operation would require months of actual preparation, so when Tsunade-sama sent him with Jiraya-sama she must have known about the invasion already."
"Dickless's presence is not required." Sai agreed, while being absolutely ignored by everyone else. By now everyone was used to his quirks. "Oto is severely weakened and has lost it's numerical advantage, along with the Suna nin."
"Like I said Gaysha," Tayuya said, visibly annoyed. "Oto nin don't rely on numbers, and will put up more than a fight." She sighed. "Of fucking course I have to go to that shit hole, since I know it like a back of my hand..."
"You don't want to go?" Sasuke asked, slightly surprised.
"No, I enjoy hell holes like that Duck-ass." Tayuya smiled sarcastically. "Of course I don't wanna go where that Pedophile is, you fucking moron! Being near him gives me the creeps, not to mention the fact he can basically one shot me. So I say the further away from him and his ilk, the better!"
"Oh don't be such a sour puss!" Fu wrapped her arm around Tayuya's shoulders. "You complain every day how much you wish to let some steam, and now you have perfect occasion! Just think about it! Us versus legions of nuke-nin supported by vile creations of Orochimaru the Sannin, surrounded by traps from all sides!" She gesticulated widely, her arms flying everywhere as she made her point.
"Here we go again." Shikamaru sighed at Fu's apparent knack for storytelling. "Hopefully our team won't be on the roster this time. This whole invasion is too much of a drag."
"Yosh! It will be great opportunity to show Konoha our worth!" Lee exclaimed with youthful power. "We will avenge our fallen comrades and defeat the vile Snake!"
"YAY!" Fu cheered, high fiving Lee. "YAY!"
"I'm out." Sasuke said, turning his head before this show of friendship caused him to empty his guts.
"I guess me too," Neji said half-heartedly. "Though I think I'll train a bit before we go." He stood, taking his leave as well. Slowly the small crowd started to thin until the only one left was Sai. This wasn't unusual, as he usually needed a moment or two to reflect upon what to do next.
He was supposed to mingle with the genin, yet to this point the art of crafting deeper bonds eluded him. He finally decided to observe the blonde, Ino, as she seemed most socially apt.
With that being the sole reason, he spent most of his free time watching her…
Next Day – Konoha War council
"...that's the general gist of it." Tsunade finished, laying out her plan. "With the information Tayuya has so graciously provided, we should be able to overrun Oto's defenses and this whole charade shouldn't last more than a month."
"We should not see to the matter as if it's on a schedule, Hokage-sama." Shikaku advised. "What this young lady Tayuya said makes caution of the utmost importance." The Jonin commander motioned to several points on the map in front of them. "The terrain and large rice fields makes for the perfect killzone, so I suggest we slow the initial advantage. If we overstretch then they'll crawl out of hiding and hit us from the back."
The redheaded girl nodded; the older pineapple was wise.
"I agree," Shibi Aburame added. "We should be wary of any pockets behind our line of advance. Orochimaru have come up with a solution to everything, even my bugs, so all we can do is to rely on the Hyuga's Byakugan to discover any traps, hideouts or other potential dangers."
"The Hyuga clan will provide full platoon of our nin." Hiashi told them calmly.
"Thank you Hiashi-san." Tsunade gave him a nod and turned to the last person she would like input from. "Danzo, do you have anything to add?"
"The plan is decent and will provide minimal losses, despite my personal preference to finish the matter as soon as possible." The bandaged man spoke calmly, assessing the plan in its entirety. "Iwa and Kumo won't stand idle as we invade another country; they'll see it as a grab for power. However, taking into consideration our losses from the unexpected attack, we should focus on preserving our manpower should they decide to attack us." He turned his gaze towards Tayuya. Despite herself she felt shiver crawl down her spine, as if the man could see through her to her soul. "The information you provided will be crucial to the success of that mission," he said deliberately. "I sincerely hope that you did not omit even the tiniest detail." She managed to hold his gaze, but she felt a traitorous drop of cold sweat drip down her neck.
"I told you everything I knew," she countered calmly, "But I can't guarantee that Orochimaru did not make any changes." Years of serving under the Snake-sannin taught her how to speak to intimidating individuals without stuttering. Orochimaru hated when someone stuttered.
"Indeed." Danzo broke eye-contact and turned his gaze to an unspecified point before him, remaining silent.
"So be it. If no one has anything to add then let us finish this meeting. In two weeks the operation will being." Tsunade announced, ending the meeting." Tayuya, be at my office in one hour."
The girl sighed. It seemed the shit storm followed her no matter where she went.
Shikamaru was in pain. His whole being, the very fiber of his existence was screaming in perpetual agony. What horrid crimes did he commit to be subjected to such tortures?
He had been selected to take part in the invasion as one of few "chosen" genin.
'Kami, why do you hate me?' he wondered. 'Is it because I returned from the rescue mission with only a broken finger? Or did I find the body of a suicidal man, hanging in the forest and laugh at it in my previous incarnation?'
The poor genin was standing, along with Gai, Fu, Tayuya, Sasuke and Sai in Tsunade's office in the official briefing.
"You six can consider yourselves lucky." Tsunade began, almost causing Shikamaru to wail in desperation. "You have an opportunity to see warfare from relatively safe perspective, since we're attacking a lesser opponent with full force. From this day on you six will train like your lives depend on it to become one coherent unit under the leadership of Anko and Gai. You won't be taking part in the first assault to break the southern gate fortifications, but you will be kept in reserve in case things go south."
"So what exactly are we doing there then?" Sasuke asked, visibly irritated that he would miss the first battle. "Stay in the back and-"
One very nasty glare from Tsunade shut him up.
"Your role will be as vital as any front line fighters, you will be securing the back of the army and rooting out any potential hidden pockets of enemy nin. With Anko's infiltration and reconnaissance talents, Neji's Byakugan and Fu's bugs, no amount of tricks will hide enemies from you."
"What if we encounter a hidden complex?" Tayuya asked.
"If you have means to call backup, then you wait for support to arrive. If not, then you're on your own." Tsunade said simply. "You have been chosen to take part in the war. Don't take unnecessary risks, but make sure you fulfill your task to the letter. You have two weeks to prepare."
Two weeks later
"Yosh! My excitement is burning brightly!" Lee exclaimed as they marched in long column of nin moving towards the border with the Land of Sound.
"Calm down, Lee. This is not something you should be excited for." Tenten nagged him while carrying her supplies and scrolls.
"Listen to your teammate Lee! You need to keep your head in the game because even a moment of distraction can cause you your life!" Gai Sensei told him. The two continued to banter as the rest marched in rather grim silence, That is, aside from Fu, who, for some reason, managed be all rainbows and sunshine the entire way.
Sasuke was still brooding over Tsunade's absolute refusal to put him on the front, while Tayuya felt that with each mile closer to Oto her stomach did a backflip. It made her want to puke.
Shikamaru simply finished writing his will and used the hawk to send it back to the family.
At the late evening they reached the forward camp just five kilometers from the border.
"Fucking Hell! Milk Tank wasn't kidding when she said that we were going in full force." Tayuya exclaimed when she saw the size of the camp. The light from the lanterns, though small, illuminated the dark sky in a sea of light.
"Five thousand nin, exactly half of our total war potential." Anko told them with no small amount of pride. "I'll bet the pale freak is wetting his diaper right now kukukuku!"
"Let us move to the camp and set ourselves in," Neji suggested calmly as he marched forward. "Tomorrow is an important day." He was right; the team needed as much rest as they could get.
Everyone nodded in assent and marched into the camp alongside the last batch of troops.
They set up their tents with Neji, Sasuke, Sai and Lee rooming together in one while Anko, Tayuya and Fu claimed other. Gai, meanwhile, went off to find Kakashi's tent.
Sasuke dropped his stuff and left the tent without saying a word. The mere walk with the spandex wearing genin was a nightmare. Spending hours with him in a ridiculously small tent? Living hell. Add Sai to the mix? He scoffed. Sasuke would take sharing tent with Naruto 11 out of 10 times over that combination.
He wandered away from the camp into the nearby woods, wanting few moments for himself. The two weeks prior consisted of almost constant team exercise and cooperation.
He recalled how horrible it went when they tried it as Team Seven. Surprisingly though, it went quite well here. Everyone knew their part and no one, well maybe except for him sometimes, tried to outdo others. They got the task, they shared the roles, they completed the exercise.
No arguing, no trying to impress anyone, just pure teamwork.
Sasuke had to admit that somehow he managed to enjoy this exercise. All of his partners were competent in their own area and knew what they were doing.
Even the kunai the crazy snake lady threw seemingly exclusively at him did not change his opinion.
He wondered whether or not he would be part of defense force if Naruto had not stopped him from joining the Snake? What kind of person would he have become under the guidance of Orochimaru the Sannin?
Would all the things Tayuya told him have come true?
A shiver went down his spine. 'Don't go that road Sasuke,' he often told himself. Which, by connection brought him to the fiery redhead.
He thought about her way too often, to be frank. Almost more often than he thought about killing his brother. Which was disturbing. Very disturbing.
Sasuke frowned. Not thinking about killing his brother seemed unhealthy to him. Perhaps he should take another look at all those family photos to reignite his flames of hate again…
"Hey Duck-Ass! What are you standing here for?!" An abrasive voice ripped him out of his inner monologue. "Not thinking about running off to Pedo-snake are you?"
"No you quelled that option quite well with your stories about him." He replied to the girl sitting on the branch. She managed to sneak up on him, which wasn't good.
"So what are you doing here?" Tayuya pressed, narrowing her eyes.
Sasuke frowned. "You try spending a few hours with Rock Lee. See how fast it drives you bonkers."
"Yeah, well…" Tayuya grimaced. "Beetle-juice and Fem-Orochimaru aren't the easiest to keep up with either." She jumped down.
"Why did you follow me?" Sasuke asked, crossing his arms.
"I already told you Duck-Ass." She shrugged. "You think that I would want to be alone in the woods with you?"
"Hn. Touche." He replied, sitting on the rock.
Tayuya glared at him for few seconds before walking over to the base of the tree and taking seat there. She pulled out her flute and began to play.
She wasn't playing for the Uchiha of course. It's just that she walked whole damn day and didn't want to move even a millimeter further from the camp. So he would do damn well to not interrupt her with his brooding.
She put the flute to her lips, starting to play the soft tune that calmed her mind. To achieve that, she would probably have to play all night and day. Even then she still might not get the peace she wanted.
Tayuya was about to enter the land she cursed more times than fat people...
The Land of Sound, possibly the worst shithole in whole Shinobi world. All degenerates, criminals and freaks traveled there coming under the banners of Orochimaru the Sannin, hoping to acquire his protection. Those who had skill and could be useful were enrolled into his forces, while those who weren't ended up as lab rats for his various experiments.
Still, rivers of that filth flocked to Oto like flies to a corpse…
Tayuya pushed those images out and focused on her flute. It was the only pure thing in her life, if she was being honest. The music she made was the only way she could truly express herself and everything that was inside her since words often failed her.
On the other side or her Sasuke listened intently, his thoughts about his brother forgotten. The music was extremely uneven, the soft calming notes interrupted now and then by a harsh, sour note, as if a reflection of the inner turmoil of the person sitting behind the tree trunk.
He looked up, gazing at the pale moon that shone brightly in the sky. The round globe illuminated the forest with pale light, banishing the darkness.
Sasuke sighed, feeling the exhaustion from the day of marching finally catch up to him. He was about to announce that he was leaving when he noticed a series of black dots appearing on the moon. He squinted, activating his Sharingan with a whisper.
They weren't dots.
It was a swarm of flying snakes, all shapes and sizes swooping through the air. At the head of the pack, a lone snake, thousands of times larger than the rest, flew.
A single pale man stood astride the serpent's head.
"Tayuya..."Sasuke snapped urgently, "He's coming!"
The sound of the flute was replaced with silence in instant as a blur of red rushed from behind the tree straight towards the camp.
"Hurry up Duckass! We have to warn them!" She yelled at top her her lungs. Sasuke followed her in a mad dash towards the camp, his previous weariness forgotten as adrenaline flooded his veins.
The teens rushed out of the forest with Tayuya in the lead, scream at the top of her lungs.
"HE'S COMING!"
"Yeah we know!" Some random nin yelled back. "Who do you take us for? Some band of amateurs without scouts? It's not like a swarm of giant snakes flying over to us is hard to miss."
In one of those rare instances Tayuya blushed, feeling incredibly stupid. Of course they wouldn't miss something like that. Maybe some of the nin here where Jonin veterans from the Third Ninja War.
Plus, it's not like Orochimaru was really trying to be sneaky…
The duo did not have the time to find their teams. As soon as the nin stopped talking the ground beneath them exploded, sending quite a few nin flying. From within the crater Orochimaru's dreaded experiments began to crawl out, attacking everyone nearby. In the midst of the chaos the swarm of snakes descended upon the camp relatively undamaged. Even despite the underground attack, the Konoha army responded quickly by shooting multiple jutsus into the air, resulting in numerous snakes falling to the earth dead.
"I should've fucking expect that!" Tayuya yelled, plunging a kunai into an oncoming mutant's throat.
"You don't say." Sasuke responded dryly, cutting down enemy nin as he did so. Apparently they were riding on the snakes too, so now they had to deal with mutants, ninja and serpents.
What a day.
"YAHOOOOO!" The human meteorite more commonly known as Fu stuck the ground near them, sending enemies flying in every direction. "I told you it will be a-" WHACK "-blast!" She yelled, punching the mutant, establishing a new world record in sending mutants flying.
"Fucking Kami." Tayuya cursed, pulling out her flute and playing frantically, trapping numerous enemies in her genjutsu and making them easy targets.
Some idiot on either side shot a large fire jutsu and lit the tents on fire, so now whole area was covered in smoke, resulting in visibility being reduced to zero.
So not only did they now have to fight the enemy, but they also had to make sure some overzealous ally nin didn't accidentally stab them in the back in all of the confusion.
"TAY-CHAN! Where are you!" Fu shouted, sending punches and kicks all around her.
"Fucking here!" The girl snapped back as she broke some unfortunate guy's jaw.
"Oh hey! Where have you been! Anko and me have been worried sick." Fu chipped.
"Can we leave that for well not the middle of the fucking battle!?"
"Sure!"
"Argh!"
The duo continued to fight, cutting through the quickly dwindling enemies. Within minutes the battle had concluded, not even a single enemy remained alive.
Sometime during the battle someone shot a water jutsu over the tents, extinguishing the fires while also dousing the nin that happened to be beneath…
Normally Tayuya would throw a fit, but this time she ignored it. That happened to be because the biggest threat was still looming over them.
Literally.
Orochimaru stood proudly upon his snake, sneering at the army beneath him with mild amusement.
"Welcome to Oto; I hope you enjoy your stay kukukukuku." Every Konoha-nin heard that, sending chills down his or her spine as the cold laugh washed over them. Orochimaru turned his snake flying away leaving his enemies to count the bodies.
The war for the Land of Sound has began.
And he was the one to draw the first blood.
A/N
Yup I'm still alive and set to write a bit more here. I hope that you enjoyed it.