And So, I Wait

Chapter 2: Preliminary Strains

oOo

I was weak beyond comprehension when the merchant caravan found me. Truth be told, by that time I thought I'd crawled into Lord Orochimaru's arms, that it was his warm embrace that I felt pulling me down. I fought the ones who tried to pull me away. In my fevered state, I had no idea they were pulling me from death's door. It was thier luck and my salvation that I was too weak to do anything but fight back feebly.

My apprehension grew as I grew more lucid, realized where I was headed. I tried to escape several times, though between my injuries, my fever, and my panic... I barely made it beyond the wagon's door before being returned to my bed.

To my dying day, I count it as a kindness that the caravan master claimed me as his sick niece, being returned to his sister in Konoha. I was bundled to a tucked-away paradise, a woman a decade and handful of years older than me watching over me as I recovered from grevious injuries inflicted against me by the very ninja now tasked with protecting my life. Most interesting to me, the young woman took me on as her charge without a second thought.

Trusting fool.

As I lay in the soft bed, slowly recovering, I couldn't help but wonder at my luck. I was under the grid. I'd been planted in Konoha's citizenship successfully. I could become the perfect spy for Lord Orichimaru, subtly feeding him intel which would allow him to crush these stupid bastards the next time he raised his mighty hand.

I was in the ideal position to do it. I was an average, ordinary citizen. I'd somehow crawled my way under their radar and into redemption.

And like always, Uzumaki Naruto managed to fuck up a perfectly good plan.

oOo

As "Saiyuna", I had access to everything I needed to bring about Konoha's destruction. I had access to a ink-brush, paper, and international mail. Despite the lack of feeling in my legs, all it would take was one letter to render the mighty country low, on it's knees. I would be the victim that slipped through it's cracks to victimize it.

Except for him.

I remember the day I was conscious enough to risk writing a letter, to risk beginning to wheel myself down the laneway towards the mailbox. All I had to do was drop it in, and I'd fulfilled my duty. I'd helped my Lord win his eternally-waged war against the hidden leaf.

My eyes focused on the mailbox, I didn't expect resistance as I slowly wheeled myself towards my target. Two hundred yards. I couldn't help but remember how my team had been wiped out. Duty overrode all. One hundred and fifty yards. Lord Orochimaru. The man who gave me everything. The least I could give him was a couple hundred more feet. One hundred yards. My goal was in sight. Nothing could stop me now.

Most certainly not a helpful pair of hands on my wheelchair.

"Sorry, Oneesan. Do you mind if I help?" The voice is familiar, even if the tone is not. My hands drop from my wheels as I twist to look into the bane of my mission, bright blue eyes sparkling in the bright sunlight I've got no words, and I can't help but marvel at how Uzumaki Naruto wheels me within twenty feet of my objective... only to be distracted by a bunch of children playing a silly game.

Ten seconds, and my goal is completed. I just need to raise my hands to my wheels.

And yet I can only watch as the man who spelt the doom of my closest comrades joins in a silly game of tag with the ninja-wannabes of his village. He flits among them like a shadow, yet never places himself beyond their hope of catching. He laughs with them as they miss him by a fraction of a hair, smiling at their promises to redouble their efforts. He uses no clones to distract the annoying brats, uses no Genjutsu to deceive them. He actually wastes the little free time a ninja capable of matching Kidimarou in one on one combat has to play with these brats.

I've seen Kidimarou fight. I've seen some of what this blond can do... and the sight of him playing with a bunch of undersized punks holds me entranced.

"Sorry, Oneesan. I think we missed the last mail pick-up. I'll be by tomorrow morning to make sure you deliver your letter, okay?"

Saiyuna can't help but smile, and I hate her for it. She's wheeled back to her mother's home by the nice young ninja, laughing at his jokes and remembering the smiles of the children. She doesn't care that Lord Orochimaru's dreams lay in her hands, wheeling away from the mailbox. All she has to do is drop the letter in.

Saiyuna can't help but agree with him: The letter can wait.

Once I've been returned to that weak caravan master's sister's home, I weep. How weak am I becoming?

oOo

Author's Notes:

One thing that's bothered me about the many Tayuya/Naruto pairings out there is how quickly Tayuya becomes a Leaf-lover. Most of the time, it's a token "Well, I was a sound-nin" before Naruto overwhelms her with his "OMG, Naruto!" aura.

I decided to explore the other end of that. And as I mentioned in An Unforeseen Consequence, just because I label a story Ino/Naruto (or in this case, Tayuya/Naruto), that doesn't mean that's going to be the end destination of the plot. It just means that that's the central theme.

And I apologize slightly about the length, but I'm working from a VERY strict outline.

Cheers,

Gaming Ikari