Broken Doll

She sat at the bottom of the well not wanting to go up, she already knows what awaits her at the top and it isn't home, the only place she does want to go but the well refused to take her there. She is back here at that desert place, Sunagakure and she never wanted to return and neither did he. Why couldn't she be at home, the one place where she might feel some comfort or normalcy even though she is beyond normal? At no point does she plan on climbing out of the well, she will wait until the stubborn thing will allow her through to the one place she might heal and feel safe...

Years ago as a child of 6 years she had gone against her grandfather's wishes and played by the well back before he put a cover on it and accidentally she knocked her dolly inside. Leaning over she tried to grab it and toppled over. With a flash of blue she was no longer in the well shed with dirt in it but in a well with sand at the bottom of it. Not quite understanding what was going on she grabbed her dolly and clung to it before calling out for her family. Only a minute could have gone by when she was found by a person wearing a mask and she looked up at them confused to see them instead of her family. Then a few more gathered watching over her until a man with a stern face appeared and within a few seconds he had jumped down by her, looking over her scared form clutching to her dolly as he took in the words of his ANBU. Using his strong arms to pick her up he jumped out of the well and could see his youngest watching them as he held his teddy bear. With a stern glance he continued forward carrying her off to his office as her blue eyes looked at the young boy with aqua eyes preferring to see someone her age than all of these scary adults in this place filled with sand. She held a hand out to him wanting to be by the sad little boy making him watch her a little curious until he could no longer see her. She held no hatred for him in those eyes, she wanted his company over another's, and that made him hope to see her again.

They didn't know what to do with her at first as she spent her first few days there not really seeing anyone as she was kept in a place with a bedroom and bathroom, brought meals and snacks to tie her over. It was more of the same adults along with ones wearing white robes and she felt sad when they refused to inform her where her mom and grandpa are. It was later that day when she felt something and looked out the window, seeing a large sand looking creature roaring in a portion of the village that she felt her body react. With no control to anything going on around her she glowed a pale lavender color, that same color shot out connecting her to the creature making it glow before it disappeared and she fell to the floor unconscious. Rasa was just about to subdue the monster when it happened, he could see the small girl at the window and that was when her fate was sealed in his eyes. When she woke again it was to a kind man's face and the little boy as they looked her over.

Gaara already knew she was the one to subdue him and he wasn't sure what to feel about it. He is always called monster and now they found someone to subdue him when he can't control the beast inside. She is to remain by his side from here on out, that is her use to this village and he wasn't sure who is really the jailer when she still wants to return home but can't because she is to be here for the village to use. She looked sad as they sat down to eat together; no one answered her when she asked once again when she can go home. His uncle did seem to feel for the girl but he won't go against the orders they were given, he is her new caretaker.

"Kagome Kagome bird in a cage…" his uncle mumbled that night as he looked over her sleeping form.

"Uncle Yashamaru, why do you say that," he asked him as he held his teddy bear and stood in the doorway.

Exiting the room he looked over at his nephew and replied, "Her name means bird in a cage and that is what she really is… Fate seems to keep her trapped just like that bird and I wonder who will one day set her free…"

"She is a bird trapped in a cage…" he quietly spoke as he looked at her, not liking the sound of it at all. "So someone needs to set her free somehow…" he wasn't sure how but if he could he would.

The next morning she approached him and he tensed unsure what she wants from him, "Gaara, would you like to play with me?"

'Play? She is asking me to play with her?' He looked up at her puzzled and slow in response. She looked a bit nervous when he continued to say nothing but look at her. "Yes," he finally said and she suddenly beamed at him happy, happy that he will play with her. It was strange to him… but now what is he supposed to do with her to play, he has never played with anyone.

"What do you want to play," she asked still very happy.

"I don't know, I have never played with anyone," he replied to her making her look confused.

"Do you not like the other kids," she tried to understand why.

"No they do not like me," he informed her.

"Well I like you," she told him, catching him off guard yet again.

From that day forward they played together, were always seen together, and she taught him about friends including her ones back home. Over a week had gone by and they sat down at dinner once again with his uncle who looked after the both of them just as he is supposed to. "Yashamaru, when can I go home? My mommy is going to be very mad and sad that I haven't returned yet. I don't want to make her cry or be in trouble," she said looking up at his uncle once again but they both knew the answer.

"I'm sorry Kagome, I don't know when you will go home," he replied instead of informing her she isn't being allowed to go home.

Her face deflated as she began to quietly eat her food as his aqua eyes watched her while he ate his own meal next to her. "Your mom will cry because you're gone," he asked her thinking of the picture of his own mother.

Blue eyes looked over at him for a moment before returning to her plate, "Yes, she cried once when I got lost at a big park and she couldn't find me for a long time. She was more sad about me possibly being gone forever than mad that I wandered off following a bunny. I wasn't gone overnight that time," she began to think of how many nights she has now slept here. "Grandpa is going to be mad that I didn't listen to him about playing in the well shed."

Yashamaru listened keeping his own feelings on the situation subdued although he is against his orders. His brother-in-law and the council will not allow her to go home; her usefulness to the village is greater than any compassion they have for the child missing her family. She is their newest tool in the village, the one that will keep the tailed beast sealed inside Gaara in check, they have no plans of letting her stray from his side, ever… this is a utilitarian world they live in and she unfortunately ended up here.

A couple nights later she grew sad, very homesick as she pretended to sleep. Yashamaru left out the front door and instead of remaining she took this chance to try to go home on her own unaware of the aqua eyes that watched her dart out the door. She had spotted the well the other day and not wanting to wait for them to take her there she decided to just go herself. He followed her and could already see his uncle about to intercept her so he did what he felt was right, using his sand he picked her up and dropped her into the well, watching it flash blue signaling that it worked.

"Gaara why did you do that," his uncle turned to him disappointed.

"She told me a good friend would do something that will make their sad friend happy. I want to be a friend and set her free," he look up at his uncle, glancing at the well before turning his eyes down to the ground knowing he had been naughty.

Kneeling down in front of his nephew he placed a hand on his shoulder, "Gaara you're so very kind," he felt moved by him, "but I need to see if I can at least bring her back to appease your father." Standing back up he went over to the well and jumped in, landing on the sandy bottom with Suna still above him so he returned to his nephew. "Looks like you are the one who has set the caged bird free from this fate, come now I will take you home before I report to your father," he placed a gentle hand on his back to guide him back home and away from the well that allowed the little girl to return home.

Standing at the well, twelve years in age, she couldn't get that dream out of her mind as she looked at the cover covered in sutras from her grandfather. She wants to know if she really had travelled to some place other or if this is just some reoccurring dream from her childhood. Remaining here won't solve anything, she already knows that and so just to get rid of her curiosity and put this whole thing to rest she used the hammer to pull the nails out of the boards, steadily taking them off until she can look down into the dark depths with no obstruction.

Climbing to the top of the ledge she balanced on the balls of her feet and pushed off, falling down into the dark depths being swallowed by that blue light from her dream and landing on a sand covered ground. Like last time she was soon looking up to a person in a mask. "So it wasn't a dream…" she said more to herself than the person above her. Not long after the same man with the stern face appeared looking at least a little surprised to see her again.

'This is the same girl,' he thought and once again jumped down into the well and retrieved her, setting her down on her feet when they landed back on the ground up top. "Follow me," he instructed as her curious eyes looked around at the buildings and she was once again heading to his office with aqua eyes watching her from on top of a nearby building. She was left in his office with the ANBU while he had a meeting with the council. "Gaara has better control of Shukaku I do not see much reason to keep her if all she can do is subdue him. If she does anything wrong he will kill her so I do not see her worth," he decided.

Joeseki spoke up, "We do not truly know if that is all she can do," he had a sudden gleam in his eyes. "Gaara has grown more in control of the Shukaku but he is not loyal and has grown strong. We should test this theory to see if her powers only extend to subduing him," he plotted as they all got his drift.

Exiting the meeting he went back to his office and ordered her to follow him once again. He sent a messenger to instruct his youngest to where he is to appear. Shortly after they arrived he appeared in a swirl of sand catching her off guard and much like a referee between two fighters he stood slightly between them. "Kagome I want you to attack him with the intent to kill," he ordered.

Head jerking in surprise she looked at him, "Wait what, why would I do that? I don't want to kill anybody," she quickly replied.

His eyes looked over at with his stern face in place, "You will because I ordered it."

Eyes shining with her anger she bit back, "Where I live it is against the rules and laws to hurt another, a crime to kill them that can be punishable by death. I refuse and I doubt I ever could hurt him, I'm not a fighter," she crossed her arms looking at him rebelliously.

Surprised at that revelation he looked at her confused, "You have powers, why would you not use them for fighting?"

"Powers, what powers? All I remember is no one would take me back home and that he is my friend so why would I hurt Gaara when he is my friend?" His stunned face glanced at his youngest who had narrowed his eyes on her but he was unsure if it was a good sign or if he is about to try and kill her.

"Do you know who I am," he settled on asking.

"Not a clue," she gave him a sassy reply that had him looking at her with a narrowed gaze.

"I am the fourth Kazekage here," he said as if it would say everything to her.

"You are the fourth wind shadow, well whatever that means congratulations," she stubbornly replied even if she was confused on what the significance of it was.

"That means I am the ruler, the head of this village," he fought the urge to grit his teeth, never having dealt with disobedience to such an extent.

"So you're basically like the mayor from where I live," she compared the two. "That still doesn't give you the right to order me around, I do not live here."

"This is a shinobi village, you are within my boundaries so you are to do as I say," he demanded, clearing the air for her.

On the verge of yelling at him she remained rooted to her spot with her hands fisted by her side, "Where I come from I go to school to learn so when I move on to college I can choose to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer, or whatever I want to be. We choose what we want to be and the military is only an option if you wish to be in it, not by force. A fighting career is for those who want to be professionals or be a bodyguard or something, I am not a fighter, I won't even be done with my required schooling until I am eighteen buddy!"

Turning from the frustrating girl he ordered, "Gaara attack her."

Looking at him incredulously, "Did you not hear a word I said, I have no powers this is not some cartoon or video game, I am a regular human girl not some superhero or something!"

He tuned her out as he watched Gaara for any sign of him following orders. His aqua eyes slid from his father to the little girl he had set free and considers him to be her friend, her claims of having no powers or fighting experience because she is supposedly a regular human girl although he has been told otherwise. That would mean she has no recollection of what happened that night or why she had been here for so long. The sand shifted around him as he began to come to a decision as he looked across from him to where she stood still ready to mouth off to his father.

"You know wind shadow doesn't make sense, this is not a windy place it is a desert so why not be called something more like desert or sand shadow..." she began to ramble just to annoy the man. When sand suddenly shot at her she screamed in a panicked frenzy as her vision went black, movements restricted as she felt the sand particles against her skin.

Rasa looked at the sphere of sand knowing any moment now that mouthy child will be dead. Watching his youngest raise his hand up beginning to squeeze he will soon see nothing but her blood left to prove she once existed. Eyes seeing the pale color back from all those years ago he jumped far back just moments before it blasted out and sent his youngest flying, the sand falling useless to the ground and she fell on her knees looking around stumped. "What just happened, I thought he was really about to kill me," she mumbled seeing him out cold several yards away and Rasa approaching from where he had jumped to safety. They both approached the still form, "Is he okay, I didn't do this did I?"

"I told you, you have powers," he studied the damage done to Gaara.

"Is he going to be okay," she questioned as his eyes slowly opened back up, feeling worried that she hurt her friend. "Shouldn't we take him to a doctor," she looked up at Rasa.

"He will be fine, I have a meeting to get to, follow me," he ordered.

"Wait, we can't just leave him here, he has hardly even woken up. What if he is really hurt?" She protested and went to kneel down when Rasa grabbed her by the arm and started dragging her with him.

"He will be fine," he glanced at his youngest with dispassionate eyes.

She tried getting her arm out of his tight grip, attempting to pull those fingers of steel off her, "Let go of me, I don't want to leave Gaara until I can see he is fine. Have you no heart! You're the leader here shouldn't you care about your own people!"

Gaara's eyes followed them as he slowly sat up hurting; his body ached from the blast that hit him. She put up a futile struggle against his father, being dragged away as her worth to the village is being tested. A part of him didn't feel good about attacking her and then planning to crush her with his sand as her words began to bother him. As a child he had helped her get away and now she has returned calling him friend, still wanting to see to him even though he was only a few seconds away from ending her existence and proving his own, from sacrificing her to the beast inside him. Will he regret not crushing her in time, will he desire her blood later, or will he let her live even though his mind is beginning to go over what the meaning to this exercise truly meant... and he will not cease to exist…

The rest of the day she was kept under the watchful eyes of the Kazekage, mostly locked away in his office while he sat in a meeting with the council determining her fate unknown to her. When she was finally released she immediately went out into the village to find where Gaara had been, eventually coming to the spot and seeing him gone. "I didn't want to hurt him," she quietly said out loud, not ever acknowledging the fact he had apparently held no qualms in doing so to her, never realizing just how close she was to being killed.

Assuming he must be either fine or someone else is taking care of him she let her feet lead her away as she looked around for where the well is. As soon as she approached Rasa was before her with his arms crossed, looking at her with the same stern face as always, "I may have allowed you to walk around but that doesn't mean I am allowing you to be released from here. Follow me to your temporary lodging," he ordered and began walking away.

Growing angry she marched right up to the well determined to leave when her body was suddenly thrown airborne, hitting the side of a round building with a kunai to her neck. "You will learn to follow orders," his harsh voice graced her ears as the world spun and fell black with aqua eyes watching her ever since she left the Kazekage building.

She didn't wake again until morning where her head throbbed at the physical abuse from yesterday. Curling into a ball as she clutched her pillow she remained there as her head continued with the pounding resounding at the back of her skull. It was a stupid idea to come here, why couldn't she just pretend it was a dream and not an actual place she had visited? The place was thankfully quiet but it wasn't home for her. With no aspirin to take she could only guess how long it took for her to feel well enough to get up and look for the bathroom. With nothing to eat and only a faucet to drink from she returned to bed so she can rest and wait for whatever will happen next.

Her third day in the village she walked around hungry and upset, not even willing to return to the well so soon after what happened last time. Whenever she did see Gaara he was always high on top of some building alone and she could only imagine he must hate her or something for hurting him. Finding a swing at a park she sat there swinging alone as the younger kids played, her eyes didn't pay them much heed while she felt dispirited in this village of shinobi. Her legs slowly pumped her to move back and forth, never picking up speed as she remained at a sedate pace. This place is starting to become a bad dream to her as she wondered what it would take for them to let her go home or if they ever will do so. What was the purpose behind seeing if she could harm Gaara? Does he remember her from when they were by each other for several days? Maybe she hurt his feelings for leaving?

On her fourth day she woke to finding Rasa there already bidding her to follow him. Wary of him she followed obediently, once again not being given any sustenance and now not able to relieve her bladder. She was taken to the hospital where she would then undergo several hours of testing and examination, coming out of there worn out, happy to crawl back into her bed as the lack of nutrients helped to aid the fatigue, her every movement outside or even in the room being watched by Gaara as he remained undecided on if he should just snuff out her life or aid her escape again.

The fifth day she woke to cold food sitting by her bed on a tray. Limbs feeling heavy she ate the meal and used the bathroom to wash up the best she could, feeling gross at this point. With no instructions to do anything else she once again returned to bed feeling depressed at her situation and unsure what she could do. It wasn't until that afternoon that Rasa raised his voice to wake her up. Not sure what he wants this time she was led back to the same spot where he ordered her to attack Gaara. Nervous she was glad she didn't see the auburn haired boy but was instead faced with the auburn haired man and his dark eyes.

"Defend yourself," he ordered as what looked to be gold dust came rushing at her making her fear for her life as he attacked. That is what he called training, he wanted her power to come out at her will but it only came out when he was close to killing her time and again.

After what she considered to be a terrifying day she had enough of being obedient, in the dead of night she left the unlocked room and tried to quietly make her way to the well. She wants to go home and she wants to go there now not wait for whatever else he has in store for her after what today was like. Her life felt like it is in more danger the longer she stays. She is not about to be the cat in that idiom 'curiosity killed the cat,' and she definitely didn't think she will have enough satisfaction to bring her back. With one last corner to turn she could see the well and all of the shinobi stationed around it for guarding purposes. Her one chance at escape being blocked off as they took notice to her and with little to lose she sprinted towards it but was quickly stopped a little more than five feet from it. Sand exploded around them knocking all the shinobi out cold as Gaara landed in front of her, the frown still in place as he looked at her. She wasn't sure if he wanted to say something or if he is waiting for her to start first. Noticing how quickly he disposed all of the guards it proved to her how strong he is and the fact he looked unscathed from the other day… How does he even feel about that day?

Standing near the well he continued to look at her in a similar fashion to the Kazekage, the resemblance there between the two. She swallowed a bit thickly and wanted to take a step toward him but that look in his eyes kept her rooted to the spot, the look that said one wrong move she will likely be dead. How is this the sad boy she befriended years ago? "Gaara…" she wasn't really sure what to say as she looked at the ground as she thought that the sadness could have turned to anger, "I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye before, I was homesick and tired of waiting for them to take me home…" she lifted her eyes back up to him seeing the same facial expression, "and I didn't want to hurt you the other day, honest, I don't even know where it came from."

His eyes continued to bore into her, "Why did you come back?"

"Why, well I wasn't sure if this place was a memory or a dream… so I decided to jump into the well again and figure it out," she gave him an honest reply.

Letting the sand come out of his gourd it prepared to do his bidding, "Bird in a cage, I released you once before and I will do so once again," he spoke quietly, 'she doesn't know why she is here and she wouldn't be happy with their plans to use her for my destruction,' he knew it all to be fact, 'so because of that I will do this once again.' He became firm in his decision, "Should you stay they will use you to destroy me and only one will walk away if either of us. My existence will not cease to exist so I will aid your escape but should you ever return I will personally end your existence myself because I only care for my own. Be gone and never return for if you do you know what awaits here for you friend," he used the sand one more time as she looked hurt at his words and once again he lifted her up to where she hovered over the well and was once again dropped inside with a flash of blue enveloping her to show her successful departure. He walked away with barely a backwards glance as he continued on into the darkness of the night not caring that his father and the council will be furious.

So now at sixteen years of age she continued to sit in the bottom of the well having already climbed up towards the top of the well and dropped down, hitting the sandy ground instead of being swallowed into the blue light. Her heart had already felt heavy enough, just coming from the final battle, destroyed the jewel and had her heart shattered when she fled to save herself from Kikyo trying to come after her for the rest of her soul. The wounds had clotted, tears dried as she realized InuYasha wasn't stopping Kikyo as he remained undecided to who was more important to him. She ached so much and now she is back in this place that values your worth over your life, this place where her once friend informed her she will die by his hands should she ever return and look at where the well has brought her and refused to allow her passage home again. Eventually she will be discovered and he will most likely be there or find out, then it will be curtains for her, feeling like regardless of what happens InuYasha had also practically tossed her life away as well.

Her split up soul ached more today than it has in a long time, resonating in time with the pain in her chest and the thumping of her heart as she wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her head on top for a moment until it grew darker in the well. Unable to ignore it she looked up at the masked face staring down at her while she waited for the stern Kazekage to appear with them yet he never did. She felt a chill creep up her spine as she watched sand come down instead. Dropping her hands down to the ground it was like facing a python as she fisted her hands into the sand beneath her wishing she could be swallowed up by the well because she has only ever seen one control the sand like this and it was liking hearing the death bells toll while she bit her lip to prevent her from crying out. Her eyes watered just a little before she squeezed them shut for a second and felt the sand wrap around her like a large hand then begin to lift her out, blinking the tears away as the light blue sky above grew closer to her until she was set down on her feet in front of a familiar figure now wearing a crimson coat with a grey vest and holding a hat labeling him as the Kazekage.

"Lord Gaara, what do you want done with her," the masked shinobi asked as they studied her awaiting orders.

She stood, refusing to meet anyone's eyes or look death in the face. Waiting for the words of judgment to come she looked down to her left with sad, defeated eyes as life just felt too heavy to even attempt at fighting for it. The well has refused to let her through, she has a chance that it will take her to the Feudal Era where her life will be forfeit regardless and here he is now the leader; she refuses to kill another and in a village full of shinobi with no definitive way out that she has seen, her life appeared to be at an end when she thought it was either going to truly begin or resume. A breeze blew through there lifting a few of her locks that once covered the wounds on her arms, no one seeing the little bit of the shaft connected to an arrowhead protruding from her back, the rest broken off by the following arrow that skimmed across the skin on her back only leaving a deep a gouge. All the wounds and injuries couldn't move her enough to care when she began to want to know how she will receive her death. If possible her shoulders sagged even more, the fire in her doused as her eyes followed the shadow of a bird flying around seemingly free as she remained the bird trapped in a cage, her fate to come here for the third time to be ended by the one who had previously set her free twice and will instead kill her the third.

Eyes taking in her defeated posture he could tell she must have just escaped a fight for her life somewhere just to end up here. Her body weary of the day's events he could see the sadness in her eyes and as if she had not a single hope left she clearly remembered that he told her he would claim her life the third time. Coming from wherever she was to being here it must seem to her that regardless of the where her life is forfeit. A deep pain rested in her eyes weighing them down as they dimmed and he watched her submit herself to the fate resting in his hands. Looking over the torn outfit and the accumulation of dirt, cuts, and bruises he turned from her softly commanding, "Come." She sluggishly followed, his ANBU member following from behind her as a precaution, eyes catching sight of what could be seen left of the arrow in her back and glimpses of the other wounds being hidden by her thick black locks. It was all filed away to be of use later whether in aid of her or to use against her, he now has it all catalogued in his mind to supply his Lord with the information as they headed to what appeared to be his office for now.

Once he was seated his ANBU guard whispered his findings causing him to study her a little harder but she appeared to be unaffected by any physical pain at this point. She looked like a beautiful yet broken doll in his eyes. 'She had been set free of the fate awaiting her here at father's hands yet it would appear she was still a bird in a cage, never truly free. Her body is toned this time, spirit deflated, and eyes echoing her grief, fate seems to have defeated her in mind, body, and spirit…' Even though she apparently stopped feeling the pain her body began showing signs of it including the drops of blood coming from that green skirt. "I see that you have returned for a third time but I am surprised you didn't immediately leave," he finally said to her.

"The well refused my passage," her quiet voice drifted to their ears, the verbal admittance seemed to make her eyes cloud over even more as her one escape was closed off from her even though it only gave her a fifty percent chance on returning home instead of a death at Kikyo's hands and InuYasha's indecisiveness. Her eyes could be playing tricks on her but her world seemed to grow darker around the edges of her vision, she felt so betrayed and like her life held little meaning to the ones around her. It hurt for others to view you as easy to discard or even be undecided on what your worth truly is to them. What was the point in even trying at this point? Her body felt suddenly cold even though she could have sworn it was hot not long ago, maybe this is how you feel when you know that someone who wants you dead is right before you and you have nothing to save yourself, nowhere to flee. That could be it...

"So you are stuck here then Kagome," he stated watching her carefully as she gave no indication of having heard him. "Kagome," he called to her once again hearing the ANBU shift as if ready to snap her back to attention should he be ordered so. With a sigh he pushed away from his desk and stood, his eyes just barely catching sight of her as she crumpled to the floor out cold, the arrowhead protruding from her chest as the hard floor pushed it through. They both knelt down next to her checking for signs of her life still hanging on to her. The wounds they knew of were not enough to cause this, had he known she was in that rough of shape they would have gone to the hospital but she acted like they were nothing to her. By the time she was in the hands of his medics her shirt was little more than a bloody rag. What remained of the arrow was removed and they had to heal her impaled right lung to save her life first. She was left there to be taken care of while he searched the records with a few assistants to find anything on her from what would've been recorded down by his father and the council. When they did find something he retreated back to his office to read through them while he awaited word on if she will survive or had passed on. He doesn't really want a hand in her death but back then he would've done it just to secure his own life, his words a warning as the girl that called him friend was left hurt when he told her that he does not value her life. He had been so cold to her back then.

At seventeen years already he no longer held those fears or lack of care; his life had steadily changed for the better shortly after she left the second time. With the years that have passed by since then she wouldn't have a clue that he has no plans to claim her life. 'She may be a caged bird and I had set her free twice but this time will I free her? A caged bird does not know how to survive for long in the harsh world beyond the cage. Should I release her again she could likely die without the protection of her cage,' he thought about it, remembering a time when his uncle asked him why he let their pet bird out.

"I wanted to set it free like Kagome," he told him, watching as his uncle held the bird in his hand before carefully placing it back inside the birdcage.

"Kagome…" he thought about the little girl. "It is a nice thought Gaara but there is more to it than that. If a bird is always caged, having never learned how to find food and shelter after a life of always having it given to them the bird could likely die if its instincts are not strong enough to ensure its survival. Our bird was born at the pet store and has always lived in a cage, it has no knowledge of the world beyond and will likely fall victim because of that lack of knowledge."

"Then what about Kagome, is she going to be okay," he looked worried thinking he might have sent her to her death.

"She still had a family to return to, a safe place that served as her food and shelter so she is likely okay right now," he quelled the panic in his nephew with his reassuring words.

Sitting at his desk looking over the information as that memory lingered on his mind. He can't make any firm judgements until he finds out from her what has happened to her that she showed up in such rough condition. She came from a place that is against fighting so where would she have been to have come here in this condition? He still has to be sure she will even live to tell the tale and see if the well will continue to reject her passage. Going through paper after paper it was just like he knew, they had plans to use her in aid to help them kill him but they didn't know how to get her powers to come out without her being seconds from death and a portion of them had been sealed away as well. Another discovery was something powerful inside of her body located on the left side of her torso; they had plans to see what it is after they used her to kill him. Should she survive he should have her examined again to see what their findings would be. Pulling out a blank notepad, a note, and pencil he left his desk once he was finished and placed her files in a secure spot for perusal later on.

Back in the hospital he found her resting on the bed asleep. Seeing a medic still in the room he gained their attention as he stepped in. "I want her to use this and read the instructions upon waking," he instructed the medic while he set it down on the table near her bed and departed after studying her for a moment. As the leader of a village filled with shinobi he can't sit around by her temporary bed when he has plenty to do. With Shukaku extracted from him he doubted she would be of much interest to the council but he will have to read over the notes again to ensure the council will still find no use for her powers. Soon they will be in his office when news of her return reaches them. If she no longer has a cage to return safely to then he will give her one here. Just what is he to do with a caged bird?