About that smirk...(spoilers)

[Rannie]

She also said she had taken up weaving so she made the out fit and either farmed the mats or had enough gil to get the mats. Sometimes it's cheaper to make the end product as to buy it and it could have been her own personal funds that financed the out fit.

[Belhi]

Its worth noting that the how she could get it could be explained by the fact she has been networking for the entire expansion. Everyone from Nobles to the Poor go through the Forgotten Knight and the Hunter's Clan has it as their base of operations. She has been very popular with the patrons. So popular that the Bartender comments that his clients love her and she is even mention by Fortemps Jr as being talked about in social circles as a charming and pretty waitress. Networking gives you access to heaps of things that are hard to get and often can be at huge discounts. That's practically my RL brother's job and I still have no idea how he manages to get the deals he does and find the things he does.

Ironically for all her struggles to find a way to aid the Scions more, Tataru seems to have found her calling.

[MieHanz]

2 ways tataru can get the chimera hide
1. Her waitress job. I suspect that its not just waitressing but also as information broker. Some ppl would pay a lot to get info though. N i agree on tataru being popular might help her to be given rare items as gifts.
2. DoL treasure map anyone?

[Nonsensicles]

Maybe she has connections with Godbert Manderville and got the hide from him? He's always killing chimerae.

Anyway, I have to note something: Tataru is emphatically not as naive and willing to trust as people seem to think. One of the first things we learn about her is that she was chosen as the receptionist for her knack for discerning those of good intent from potential menaces.Just because she's sweet, adorable and tries to keep positive doesn't mean she's a fool.

This also doesn't mean that she's secretly evil, because that skill is something she's quite open about.

[Walluh]

I took the smirk as her planning on just bailing because she still felt useless.

And then that got cut off by everything going south in Ul'dah

[MilesSaintboroguh]

Here's a boring answer:

She's not evil because you can play Triple Triad with her. Evil characters can't be interacted with normally and you'd lose a shot at getting her rare cards if she betrayed you.

[SpookRooster]

Here's a boring answer:

She's not evil because you can play Triple Triad with her. Evil characters can't be interacted with normally and you'd lose a shot at getting her rare cards if she betrayed you.

But there's a Nidhogg card...and Bahamut. Wait...you mean play the game with her. When can you do that?

[Aura_Shurifon]

The card argument isn't valid : She was dropping Tataru, Lightning and Urianger at the end of 2.55 and now she drops Tataru, Lightning and Firion.
And none of the cards are exclusive to her.

About the hide, she could have ask Edmond for a little help (Edmond isn't poor as far as I know)

As far as I read things, she seems to hide something but it may not be about betraying us. It could be a new (or old) friend that rather stay in the dark for now. Wait and see ^^

[MilesSaintboroguh]

But then why make an NPC be playable for cards and then, for example, kill them off? It'd be a waste.