After the door was unlocked, Tayuya stepped in and looked around.
"Nice place you got here." She commented, "A bit messy though."
The owner of the apartment looked at her, "Well, forgive me for not sprucing the place up for your arrival. If you don't like it, you can always live with Naruto. Or stay in a jail cell."
Tayuya shrugged, "I was just sayin'. No need to come at my throat for a comment."
Anko closed her door behind her and crossed her arms, looking Tayuya right in the eyes, "You're not very well-mannered, are you?"
Again, Tayuya shrugged, "Probably not, since I get that a lot."
"Well if you're going to be living under my roof, that will have to change as soon as possible." Anko stared daggers at her, "Got it?"
Tayuya was about to shrug her shoulders yet again, but figured that might push her over the edge and send her straight out of this apartment. Tayuya is very much an ill-mannered young woman, but was far from an idiot.
"Gotcha. Hey, can I take a shower? It's been a while."
"I guess, if you have anything that you can change into."
Tayuya had quite a bit of difficulty not to send a snappy, sarcastic reply, "No, you know these are the only clothes I have." She said.
Anko simply stared at her before huffing, "Just get in the shower. I'll give you some of my clothes until you can get some of your own."
The redhead nodded, "Thanks." Anko only grumbled and pointed toward the location of her bathroom. Tayuya walked in and closed the door behind her.
"She's not wearing any of my trench coats, though." Anko thought to herself as she headed to her closet.
A few minutes later, Tayuya had stepped out of the shower and found a towel to wrap around herself. She stepped out of the bathroom and was slightly startled to see Anko right there with crossed arms and an unfriendly look.
"Uh... What's wrong?" Tayuya mumbled, feeling a bit small under Anko's stare.
"...I've been doing some thinking, and I realized that your Curse Seal seems to have been bothering you less since Naruto and I agreed to help you. I mean, when we first met you, you were coughing up blood and had a hard time even moving. Now, your strolling around here as if nothing's wrong." Anko's glare hardened, "Why is that?"
"I've noticed that, too." Tayuya said, "I know it seems suspicious, but the pain has been slowly going away over time. Don't ask me why, or how. But I really was in serious pain back in the cave, I thought I was dying. Or maybe I still am, I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with this damn seal."
"You're right about that seeming suspicious." Anko said, "I'm warning you, if you give any more of a reason for me to believe that you're pulling some kind of stunt, I have every right to kill you where you stand. And I won't hesitate, either."
"Geez, maybe I should live with Naruto." Tayuya thought, "I understand. Now... Can I get dressed? I'm getting kind of chilly."
Anko sent her one last leer before handing her a small pile of folded clothes, "Here. I hope you can fit into a D-cup."
Tayuya took the clothes, "I don't know, I haven't worn a properly fitting bra since I was fifteen." She walked in the bathroom and tried on the clothes.
A minute or two later, Tayuya walked out the bathroom, "I can tell you really like mesh stuff..." Her new outfit consisted of a mesh bodysuit, with skin-tight, knee-length leggings, a dark skirt, and a sleeveless zip-up blouse that matched the skirt. The top was unzipped a bit, showing a fair amount of cleavage, and her skirt exposed everything down past the middle of her thighs. Although her skin still had many bruises and scars, her shower cleaned her up immensely, now free of any dirt spots and grime, "And the bra fits perfect, thanks."
Anko looked her over and couldn't help but be hit with a wave of jealousy, "If she can fit those clothes, she can fit anything in my wardrobe. The girl is almost half my age, and she pretty much has the same body type as I do... Lucky bitch."
"Well I'm glad they fit you. This doesn't mean you're welcome to everything in my closet though, this is just temporary."
Tayuya looked at herself in a nearby mirror, "I know, I know, I got it the first time you said it."
"Good. Now that you're all showered and dressed, we can go see Inoichi."
"Who's that?"
Anko sent a small smirk, "Just a good friend of mine."
Tayuya and Anko departed from the apartment and walked along Konoha's streets. Anko was ahead of Tayuya, leading her to the T&I complex.
"Hey, uh, Anko was it?" Tayuya called. Anko nodded without looking back at her, "Where are we going, exactly?"
"We're going to the T&I complex of Konohagakure. We're going to get as much important information from you as we possibly can."
"But, can't I just tell you everything now? I mean, I'll gladly do it. I already said that I hate... him as much as you do. "
"No, you have no idea." Anko thought, "The Hokage and I already told you, we have no reason to trust anything you say. We can do just fine without you having to say a word. Besides, with our technology and techniques, we can get information from you that you yourself might have forgotten over time."
"So, what, are you guys going to invade my mind or something?"
"Precisely."
Tayuya felt uncomfortable, "But... I already said that I've done some things that I'm not proud of when I was on my own... There's some stuff that I don't really want other people to know."
"I bet." Anko said, "But don't worry, only one person will get information from you, and all of your personal memories will be classified to him only, as long as it's irrelevant to what we're looking for."
"But the idea of someone poking around in my mind irks the shit out of me." Tayuya complained in her head, "Oh."
Anko couldn't help but be curious. They walked in silence for a few more seconds until, "...Out of curiosity, on a scale from one to ten, how bad was the stuff that you had to do to survive?"
"...Fifteen."
Anko said nothing more.
A few minutes later, Tayuya and Anko entered the highly secured building that served as the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force's headquarters. Tayuya watched as Anko entered different pass codes to enter each door she led her past. There were also quite a few guards policing the area, and it seemed to be pretty well-secured.
Soon, Anko opened another door and was brought into a steel-walled room with a single chair. Inside, was a blonde-haired man that sported a long ponytail.
Anko walked up to him, "Hello, Inoichi."
The man nodded, "Anko. What brings you here?"
Anko pointed at the redhead, "This is Tayuya. She supposedly served under Orochimaru around three years ago. We just picked her up today, and we need to see if there's any juicy information regarding Orochimaru lingering in that head of hers."
Inoichi nodded, "I see." He looked at her analytically, "I notice that you didn't bother keeping her constrained."
Anko shrugged, "She says that she's willing. Besides, she has chakra seals placed on her. She wont be able to pull anything slick, trust me."
"Okay." He said. He looked at Tayuya, "Now if you'll sit in the chair, please?"
Tayuya complied and sat in the chair that she just realized has shackles on them. Inoichi locked her wrists and ankles in them.
"This ain't gonna hurt, right?" Tayuya asked. Inoichi looks at her, then Anko.
"Well, it depends upon how willing you say you are. If you truly are willing, this will be completely painless. But if not..."
"No need to use any torture methods, Inoichi." Anko cut in, "...Unless, of course, she tries to be some kind of rebel, in which case, you can give her Hell."
Tayuya swallowed her abundant saliva, trying to mask the small amount of fear she was hit with.
"Alright then." Said Inoichi, "Just sit still and close your eyes."
Tayuya did as she was told, then felt a hand placed upon her forehead.
Anko leaned against one of the walls in the small room and watched as Inoichi searched through Tayuya's mind.
Suddenly, Inoichi flinched a bit.
"Problem?" Anko asked. She received no response, "Right, I forgot Inoichi blocks out everything when he does this." She mumbled.
Just as she finished that thought, Inoichi released his hand from Tayuya's head. He opened his eyes, "She doesn't know much about Orochimaru that isn't already known. After all, she's only served to carry out tasks for him, not much else."
"I kinda figured that." Anko mumbled, "Why did you flinch earlier?"
"Because there were still a few mind traps placed in her mind by Orochimaru. Nothing serious, though."
"Ah." She sighed, "So is she telling the truth regarding her departure from Orochimaru's services?"
"She is." Inoichi responded, "She hasn't told a lie since you and Naruto met her."
Tayuya's immediate reaction was to blurt out "I told you!", but succeeded in holding that urge back.
"I see." Anko looked at her and hummed, "So there's nothing worth reporting to the Hokage either, huh?"
Inoichi shook his head, "No."
"Then I guess we're done here." Anko stated, "Thanks anyway, Inoichi."
Just as Inoichi freed Tayuya from the shackles, the door to the room opened.
In it, walked in Squad Ten.
Tayuya spots a blonde that looks much like Inoichi and an overweight shinobi that reminded her of her former acquaintance, Jirobo.
But the third person, she remembered having altercations with a few years back.
"Dad!" The blonde girl says to Inoichi, "Have you heard the news?!"
Inoichi raises an eyebrow, "What news, Ino-chan?"
"Orochimaru has been reported dead!"
Inoichi's eyebrows raised in shock.
Tayuya felt chills go up her spine.
Anko could have sworn she felt her heart skip two or three beats.
"Orochimaru's... dead?" Inoichi repeated, "But how?"
"It seems that Sasuke Uchiha killed him." Shikamaru said, "ANBU forces found his hideout, and upon further investigation, they found his body covered in blood, dead."
"That's... Wow." Inoichi mumbled.
"That kid... it can't be..." Tayuya thought to herself.
Anko was silent. Stunned beyond belief, her mind raced like a dozen race horses heading for the finish line.
Shikamaru then glimpsed at Tayuya, looked away, then looked at her again.
"Wait." He mumbled, feeling way too much nostalgia emitting from her to simply regard her as a normal prisoner, "You look familiar."
Tayuya chose to keep her mouth shut.
"I remember her!" Choji exclaimed, "She's that Sound girl that helped escort Sasuke to Orochimaru!"
Choji's words brought his memory to life, and his eyes went wide.
"You...! The one with the flute!" Shikamaru growled.
"Ah, shit..." Tayuya cursed inwardly. She attempted to let her shoulders drop, only to find that she couldn't. She looked down and remembered who she was face to face with. Their shadows were connected.
"Didn't you kill her, Shikamaru?" Choji asked. Anko and Ino felt lost at this point.
"I did! Well, technically, Temari did. But still..." His eyes turned into a hard glare, "I'm sure you remember me."
Tayuya attempted to nod, only to be reminded of the jutsu she's caught in, "I do. How's it going?"
Shikamaru's leer intensified.
Inoichi held up a hand, "Shikamaru, there's no need to have your jutsu active, she wouldn't be here if she posed a serious threat." He said. The Jounin reluctantly agreed and released his Shadow Manipulation technique.
"I just scanned her memories, and I know you two fought not soon after Sasuke departed from Konoha. But Tayuya hasn't served under Orochimaru since that day you both fought, and poses little to no threat to Konoha at all."
Shikamaru wanted to argue against that, but knew that Inoichi's words had to be true. His mind reading skills were presumably the best in Konoha. He looked at the redhead. Although his glare let up quite a bit, he couldn't help but to be skeptical.
"But... Three years ago, when we fought that day, a tree fell on top of you and crushed you. How are you still alive?" He asked.
Tayuya shrugged, "That's a very good question that I don't have a logical answer to. I thought I was dead, too."
Choji and Shikamaru exchanged looks.
"So... Are those other Sound-nin that were with you alive, too?" Choji asked.
"No. Well, I don't know, they could be." She answered honestly, "I haven't heard from them since that day, either."
"...So let me get this straight." Ino said, "You used to serve under Orochimaru, and you helped my Sasuke escape from this village?"
Tayuya rose an eyebrow when she heard 'my Sasuke', but decided not to speak on it, "Well, yeah, I guess."
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Inoichi grabbed his daughter just in time before Ino got her hands on her. Choji then grabbed hold of her and dragged her out the room, futilely attempting to calm her down with his words.
Tayuya held her composure, but nevertheless sweatdropped, "...Was that his girlfriend or something?"
"She wishes..." Shikamaru mumbled. "Anyway, you're telling us that you no longer wish to serve under Orochimaru? Why?"
"Well, I even if I did, I can't, considering how he's dead now." She says, "But yeah, even if he still was alive, I wouldn't want anything to do with him. He was an abusive prick."
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, "...It's hard for me to believe that someone can just turn over a new leaf like that. Especially given how you tried to kill me."
Tayuya rolled her eyes, an action she couldn't negate from happening, "Listen, it's not like I've ever liked or worshiped Orochimaru. Even when I worked for him, I hated him. I only did what he said simply because he'd kill me if I didn't. I was forced against my will, and now that he thought I died, and now especially since he's dead, I couldn't be any happier. So don't take our fight personally. Yes, I did try to kill you, and I did help to destroy The Leaf three years ago, but it was because it was an order. I don't personally wish you or anyone here dead, okay?"
Shikamaru nodded, seeing as she did have a point.
"I'm not saying we have to be friends, and I'm not really asking for forgiveness, but you don't need to think I'm an enemy anymore." She adds.
Shikamaru thought to himself for a minute before shrugging, "Eh, I guess." He then put his hands in his pockets and headed for the door, "I'd better check on Ino."
Anko, after being quiet all this time, follows after Shikamaru, "Come on, Tayuya. We gotta see the 'Kage."
Tayuya and Anko head onto Konoha's streets again, this time walking in silence.
That is, until Anko spoke up, "So you helped in the invasion of Konoha, huh?"
The question took the former Sound-nin off guard, "Um, yeah, I guess."
"..."
Tayuya noted Anko's lack of a response, "Why do you ask?"
Anko almost chose not to respond to that question as well, "Because that's something that you didn't tell me or Naruto when we first found you."
"Well... Is it really that important? I mean, I already said that I didn't have a choice in the matter."
"Yeah, I get that and understand fully." Anko said, "But Naruto still doesn't know that you helped his best friend escape from Konoha."
"Ooh..." Tayuya mumbled, "That was his best friend, huh?"
Anko nodded.
Tayuya scoffed in her head, "Huh, well Sasuke seems like a shit best friend, if you ask me."
"Well, if you understand that only did what I did because I was forced to, I'm pretty sure he would, too."
"I don't know..." Anko hummed, "All I'm saying is that if he knew, he might not be so quick to defend you like he did earlier today."
Tayuya didn't have anything to say.
Anko and Tayuya entered the Hokage's office for the second time that day.
"Ah, Anko and Tayuya." She greeted, "What do you have to tell me?"
"She's legit." Anko said, "She wasn't lying about anything she told us."
Tsunade looked at Tayuya and gave a small smile. She was in a surprisingly good mood today, despite hearing that her former teammate died recently, "Good. Any information about Orochimaru?"
"No. She hardly knows anything that we don't already know." Anko answered, "Isn't he dead anyway?"
"So you heard, huh?" Anko nodded, "Well it's still good to get any type of information on him, even if he is dead. One can never have too much intel."
Tsunade then looked at Tayuya, "How's your Curse Seal?"
"A lot better." Admitted Tayuya, "I don't even feel it bothering me anymore."
Tsunade thought for a second, "...I think I know why it was bothering you earlier, and not now."
"Why?" The two other women in the room ask simultaneously.
"Because, a person's chakra level's spike when they engage in battle. So I think that while Orochimaru was fighting Sasuke, his chakra somehow connected with the effects of your Curse Seal, causing you severe pain. And now that he's dead, you no longer have that connection."
"Huh." Tayuya mumbled, "That does make sense, I guess."
"But wouldn't it bother Sasuke as well?" Anko asked.
"Probably. He still managed to find a way to defeat him."
"Baa-chan!" Exclaimed a familiar voice after the door to the room burst open. "Sasuke killed Orochimaru?!"
"That is correct, Naruto-kun."
Naruto's mouth curved into a full-blown smile just as Sakura followed in behind him, "Yes! I knew Sasuke wasn't just gonna sit by and let Orochimaru take what he wanted!"
"Well, I guess that Uchiha really did mean something to this kid, after all." Tayuya noted. She then glimpsed at Sakura and the first thing that came to her attention was the pink hair. She could vaguely remember seeing her face at one point, but wasn't so sure.
"So where is he now? Probably on his way to Konoha, right?" Naruto asked, antsy as ever.
Tsunade hated to knock down Naruto's happiness over the subject, but it had to be done, "No one knows where Sasuke is now, but I'm pretty sure he's not on his way to Konoha."
Naruto's smile slid into a frown, "Well, why not?"
"Because, Itachi is still alive..." Sakura told him.
Naruto forgot about Sasuke's 'ambition'.
"Right, I forgot..."
Tsunade nodded, "Yes, Itachi is still alive, and it seems that Sasuke will stop at nothing until he gets his revenge. And now that you both are here, I wish to talk about something I've been doing some thinking over," she said, "I want to start a mission."
Naruto and Sakura gave her their complete attention. Tsunade then looked at Tayuya and Anko.
"You two are dismissed. I'll talk to the both of you later."
Anko and Tayuya nodded, and Naruto looks over at Tayuya, "Oh, hey, Tayuya! I didn't notice you there."
"Idiot. Even though I was standing next to him the whole time." She thought, "...'Sup."
The two Curse Mark bearers exited the Hokage tower. Just as they stepped away from the building, they heard a low, grizzly type of noise.
Anko paused, "...What the hell was that?"
"M'stomach." Tayuya answered, as if it were nothing.
"When was the last time you ate? Your stomach sounded like grizzly bears having an orgy."
Tayuya looked up in thought, "Mon...Tues... I dunno, a few days ago."
Anko was never the most sympathetic of people. But she couldn't just let Tayuya starve.
"...You ever had dango before?"
Soon, dusk approached. Anko just stepped out of the shower, and exited the bathroom. Tayuya was sitting on the couch, in her (or rather, Anko's) underwear reading a book she found lying around. One with an orange cover.
"...This is smut." Tayuya stated as Anko approached her closet, "Really perverted. You read stuff like this?"
Anko shrugged, "Once in a while. The guy who wrote it insisted on giving me a free copy for whatever reason, so I figured why not."
"...Jirai's hands began to sweat with anticipation as the two gorgeous women, Nako and Nurekai approached him with nothing but stockings on their legs and heels on their feet. Lust was showcased in their eyes as they eyed down the bulge in his trousers. A hand belonging to Nako found its way to said bulge, giggling devilishly as her friend started caressing her-" Tayuya recited, before pausing and closing the book, "Okay, I think I'm done. Only a perverted bastard can enjoy reading crap like this."
"I agree." Said Anko, "But aside from the ridiculous plots and sex scenes that come up in the book, it's somewhat entertaining to read. Only sometimes though."
Tayuya shrugged and put the book down. Reading any more of it might just make her sick.
She then watched as Anko reached up in her closet to receive something on the top shelf. Her hair was still wet, untied from her ponytail and clinging to her neck and shoulders. A towel was wrapped around her torso, hiding any of her intimate parts.
It was then that Tayuya saw it.
"...So you have it too, huh?"
"Have what?" Anko asked.
"The Curse Seal." Tayuya replied, "You were branded... Just like me."
Anko said nothing.
Tayuya elaborated, "So I'm assuming that you worked under Orochimaru in the past, too."
"...Tayuya."
"What?"
"You're talking too much."
No more words were spoken as Anko then headed back into the bathroom with a few clothes to change in private.
