Vexing

Chapter 3: Set List

I do not own Naruto much to my dismay. I DO own the rabid fans, Hyuuga Corp, Goraku Records, Fever, Twist, WWMM, and Missy.

I want to take the time to thank the following people: BellaJames (that's what I was afraid of, but I hope if anyone disagrees with what I think is the most fitting they'll just skip it and fill in their own… worth a shot), Ishasuki Mitochi (sorry to make you wait so long… sweat drops), Yami Uchiha (you're suggestion was so creative! I didn't think of that! And just so you know, as much as I love reviews, I write for myself, not to get them… wow, that was painful to admit), xRAWRximmaxDiN00x (my goodness it seems as if we have similar music tastes! Thanks for the advice), ToraHimeSama (advice taken hugs thanks for the suggestion), Tomato-Vampire-Countess, and x.eli-M.x (thanks for the compliment).

YOU GUYS ROCK! I appreciate all the input and suggestions, I really do!

I'm so sorry this was a week late sobs apologetically. Blame school. Nya.

The reviews have spoken: the songs from here on out will all be actual songs, as in not mine, as in you can look them up, etc. I will keep Fading Fast to avoid too much confusion in the sudden transition, though. I wasn't lying – my music is strange, so if you do not like a song, work with me. The bands are supposed to be popular, so just insert one you like ). Though there won't be songs until next chapter, because this is the SETTING THE STAGE chapter. The story will start picking up speed – as in, the actual plot will come into action more – starting next chapter.

Cuz right now, IT IS SLOOOOOOOOOOW.

Danke again!

--

Tenten growled to herself as she stepped inside the building belonging to Hyuuga Corp.

It wasn't because she was associating with her company's competition about who-knows-what with who-knows-who. Oh no. That's not a good reason for her to be upset at all. She's scared and intimidated by no one.

She was upset because Ino had dressed her.

So here was Tenten - in a tight square-neck pink shirt with a knee length black skirt and black kitten heels. She had left the buns, but in exchange she had to wear black earrings and a matching necklace and bracelet. Hmph, not like she'd see anyone she'd know here…

"Excuse me," Tenten said to the receptionist as son as she spotted her, tugging at her shirt down. "Which floor is the meeting going to be held?"

"Which meeting?" she said in a bored tone as she flipped through her magazine. "You know how many meetings these people have?"

Tenten felt a sweat drop. "It was just me and the manager for Fever."

The receptionist dropped her magazine. "Omigod! Bring me down an autograph from Sasuke! HE'S SO SEXY!"

"The floor?" Tenten pressed, rather annoyed now.

"Oh, right, 28…" she muttered and continued reading.

Tenten said thanks and she sauntered over to the elevator. She hated elevators, so she just held onto the railing and counted the seconds until she could get off. When the door bing-ed open, she was a bit surprised to see in open up to a smaller hallway that looked as if it belonged in a ritzy apartment rather than an office building.

She stepped in and looked around awkwardly. "Hello?"

She hadn't realized any music was playing until it was turned off. She listened with curiosity as hush males voices whispered back and forth. She heard a smack and winced – that had to hurt. Getting impatient, she marched up to the room most of the sound was coming from. She came face to face to a bunch of teenage boys glaring at each other. They stopped when they saw her.

Well, they didn't really… they just directed their glares at her.

Greeeeeeeeat.

"Hello, I'm Tenten. I'm here to speak with the manager of Fever."

"No, you're speaking with us." She blinked at a tall boy with shaggy hair.

"Oh am I?" she asked before she recognized them – it was the band to beat. Fever.

"You took our interview. How?" Black eyes, black hair, black shirt – So this must be Sasuke. Hmm, he was pretty cute.

Tenten wasn't about to feign indifference. She caught on perfectly quick. They were mad, their manager didn't do anything (that they knew of, anyway) and they took manners into their own hands. They were threatened by her band.

Her eyes sparkled.

"Err… Sasuke, bastard, she doesn't look intimidated," Naruto pointed out.

"Yeah, no shit stupid," Kiba growled back. "So are you gonna cooperate any time soon or what?"

She shook her head and smiled wide up at them. Sasuke, Kiba, Naruto… they were missing one…. "I have an idea. If you care so much about my band, how about you interrogate them instead? Or rather witness them be integrated?"

Blank looks were replacing the glowers. What the hell did she mean?

A growl erupted from behind them, and it was at the moment that Tenten noticed she was standing beside a sofa with a sleeping band member sprawled lazily on it – as if he just walked over out of bed and collapsed there. He was sleeping without a care in the world as his members struggled to talk to her.

What kind of band was this?

--

"Melissa, you're doing it again."

Missy blinked and whipped her head up to face her boss, who was currently hovering behind her chair. His eyes were looking at her blank sheet of questions, unimpressed with her progress.

"My apologizes, Mr. Aburame, " she softly said with a slight bow of her head. "I will do fine, with or without questions written out. You know that."

He nodded curtly. This was true; he trusted her and knew for certain she had a talent with people. Questioning, remembering, making the people feel special enough to enjoy opening up and yearn to come back – she was the gem of her journalism class when she asked for an internship just a year prior. Now, she was the gem of his journalists.

But Shino was the type of person to question everything. Worry, wonder, question, repeat. So the fact she had tried to reassure him did little to put him at ease.

"Are you nervous?" he carefully wondered aloud.

"How come?"

"Twist is supposed to be big news is all. The first band we've ever had to grace the cover without having any sort of CD out, that's for sure. They're all the buzz on the internet."

She nodded, uncaring. She knew full well that her boss might be extra concerned for her preparation since his good 'friend' he had a picture of in his office was a band member and would be arriving in a little less than an hour if they were on time.

"I was ready," she admitted, catching his full attention away from her blank papers and lonely pens. "I was ready to interview, just not Twist."

His lips firmed into a thin line, though no one could tell from behind his high coat collar. If they saw, they'd panic – since when did the great boss-man show emotion? "Are you saying you would rather not interview Twist? If so, tell me now. I'll get someone else."

No emotion showed in his voice, but his words were enough to send Missy into a frenzy. "Ah – no need, sir, no need! I am perf-"

"Alright then," he cut in, his voice monotone and detached. He pulled off a perfect rotation and stalked off to go triple check if everything was all good with the photographer. Missy rolled her eyes and shoved her glasses up her nose. This job just kept getting increasingly more hectic with each interview she had… well, in the Fever's case, not interviewed.

--

Missy still had nothing written in her blank papers when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She winced – it felt like a finger jammed her blade, but it felt like she was already bruising. Whoever did that must be tough. This is probably why she was so shocked to see a woman standing by her side. A pretty, petite woman no less.

"Err, hi?" Missy didn't recognize her, but she stood up to nonetheless.

"Hi, nice to meet you," she said with a cheery smile, clasping her fine fingers around Missy's work-bitten, sore hands. "I'm Tenten. I manage and co-produce for Twist."

A smile warmed up to Missy's face and she was quick to return the handshake. "Oh, well, that's great! It's a pleasure to meet you, Tenten! Mr. Aburame has told me very little about you, so I didn't get to picture you very well."

A laugh broke through her lips. How could someone so feminine be crushing Missy's hand?! "That sounds like Shino, alright. The less said, the more assumed. I just came to tell you their all in your office. I realize we were a good twenty minutes early and didn't really think you might not be unprepared, but if you are-"

She caught her eyes flicking to the blank papers. Missy flipped her hand. "Tsk, don't look at that. I was ready before I was notified we were interviewing someone new."

Tenten smiled wider, this one was almost mischievous though. Not comforting in the least. "You know, I believe you."

Missy didn't know her – and didn't know she existed until Shino mentioned her name briefly to her the previous day – but she felt so… honored. Like this person was important or something. She quickly waved the brunette off and rushed into the elevator.

"Hey, wait!" She froze and twisted her back to get a good view of Tenten smiling. "I almost forgot! I talked to Shino and he agreed to let me add a… heh, twist to your interview."

--

It was unsettling.

Sakura was sifting through all the memories she had of Tenten, trying to sink inside her mind, think the way she thinks to get an idea why she had doomed them.

Hinata was trying to calm her tremors and shakes down and distract herself by toying with her thumbs. The endless types of torture that could come of this situation could be numbered – she had another shaking spasm and her brows further sunk down over her perilous eyes.

Temari was getting her game face on. If Tenten was trying to challenge them, she had another thing coming, that bitch. Surprise her? Hah! As if Temari could be surprised! She thought Tenten met her brothers. She was prepared for anything! All she had to do was make everyone else think that and she might start thinking it too…

Ino flipped her hair and got her compact out for the third time in six minutes. Beauty would win anyone over – that was the mindset she was in. Not that she only wanted to impress them; she wanted them to love her. Oh, the pressure of maintaining good looks was so often overlooked!

Lee was being… well, Lee. He had an idea in his head that if he did one-thousand and one pushups (one more than he did yesterday) that he'd have the strength to take on this shocker head first. This was a test. Tenten was testing him, and he would rise and meet her expectations gladly!

All thoughts stopped banging around their heads as soon as the office door swung open.

They were warned, but they still didn't really expect it.

"Hey, everyone. I'm Miyuki Missy and I'll be interviewing you today. And I'm sure you know the guys behind me. They'll just be hovering, if you will. Ignore them, they're just here to watch."

She giggled, the guys smirked.

The members of Twist just had their eyes wide. They were all now thinking the same thing:

How are they supposed to ignore Fever?

--

There won't be as much jumping next time. This was just EVERYWHERE.

Songs, new people, strange events… sounds like a good place to redeem myself for this shortness and, well, jumping around…