Next chapter coming at ya! Some of you might think this story is being rushed or slowed down depending upon your person...That's fine, I'm cool with that. The only character that requires development is Yahili...With only one character in need of change, stories tend to go a bit faster. It's also a little bit of another challenge for me, for I have to focus on one character's development, not many. Oddly enough, its a bit more difficult to focus on just one character's growth for an entire story! Still though I hope you are liking this story! Don't worry! I know it feels a bit slow right now, but every good story needs a good beginning! It will pick up soon I promise!

Let's get to it!

Disclaimer: Naruto and Yugioh, their characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!

Chapter 3: The Second Hand

After a much needed screaming session, Yahili retreated to bed.

The world is always better in the morning! Her grandfather would always say and she took his words in stride.

The very next day, after dressing and breakfast, Yahili contemplated her options. She had been ordered to take care of herself, much to her dismay and by her Mutou family pride she had to abide by it. Looking into the kitchen now stocked with food she didn't buy, Yahili grimaced; knowing very well where or rather who, bought the food for her. If she was going to live here, she certainly wasn't going to do it with money from HIM thus she only had one option…

She needed a job.

What could she do anyway? Yahili and her grandfather lived off the land in Iron Country. Yes, the winters were extremely cold but the springs and summers were perfect for planting. Here in the desert there was no such option. In order to obtain food, she would have to have money and money meant working.

Yahili's mind made up she decided to head to the market. Hopefully a vendor was hiring...she wanted a job as quickly as possible...any job would do if it meant keeping that jerk out of her life as much as possible. She remembered the market being small and in a certain area in Suna; With a bit of luck it was still there after all these years.

Indeed the market hadn't moved...but it was greatly thriving now. Merchants from all over were selling their wares and food to residence of Suna. This could only mean there were no more closed borders. Hell, even a merchant from Water Country was there, a very rare sight indeed!

"Hey!" Turning she huffed as Kankurou of all people spotted her. Sure she was getting some looks and a few whispers in market but none had approached Yahili. It was all well and good really, it had given her the space she needed...That is...until Kankurou approached her.

"What are you doing here, Mutou-san?" He asked and more whispers and stares were sent her way. Yahili shrugged them off...Her family was well known here in Suna so looks and whispers were going to happen.

"Looking for a job." She told him simply. Maybe now that people knew her name she would get some work.

"Heh...It's true about you Mutous…" He gave a light chuckle. "Head strong bunch you are…"

She eyed him. "I am guessing you've been...assigned to me…" It had to be the only reason why he was there in the first place, talking to her. Shinobi had no time to talk to civilians these days, of that Yahili was sure of.

"Actually I was heading towards your place." Kankurou told her. "I'm to take you to the council…" His eyes spelled dread. "They want to meet with you."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't know anything about my family's blood trait, nor do I know how my great grandfather used it to save Suna those odd years ago."

Of course, that had to be the only reason they wanted to talk with her! They wanted to know what Yugi Mutou did! They wanted to know what power her family possessed! A perfect, secret weapon for Suna to use at their leisure! That had to be the only reason why she was required to remain healthy. No council or leader would be so well invested in a common civilian's life as to require yearly health check ups unless that civilian was an asset to the nation! To these idiots she was nothing more than a potential weapon at best!

"You don't have to tell me that, you gotta tell THEM." Kankurou sighed. "Look, about yesterday-"

"I'm guessing HE will be there as well." No way in hell was she going to call that murderer the Kazekage.

"Yeah...Lord Kazekage is required to attend all the council meetings." Kankurou explained.

She paused. Could she get out of this? Probably not.

"Just take me there…" Yahili supposed she would have to deal with this, rather sooner than later. Perhaps once they discover she had no information about the Mutou blood trait they would recend all of these silly regulations placed upon her and allow her to die in peace.

Dejected, Kankurou led her to the Kazekage tower then took a sharp right and went behind the tower to another building. Inside there was nothing more than a hallway that led to a simple door. Said door was being guarded by two shinobi who upon seeing them opened the door for the two. The meeting room consisted of chairs sitting around a circular table...Sitting in the chairs were men and women of varying ages...The Suna was no sign of the Kazekage...Yet.

"Never in all my years...A living Mutou...a female at that…" One of the oldest members was practically awed by her presence.

"We wish to formally welcome the Matriarch of the Mutou clan." Another, this one younger, spoke up next.

His statement made her curious. The Mutous were never large enough to be a clan...they were a family. What made him think such?

"Before your...graces start any more flowery words…" Best to just get this over with so she could get out of this hell hole. "I have no knowledge of my family's blood trait. Yes, I know it is there, but I have no knowledge on how to activate it...Nor do I know how my great grandfather used it to save Suna."

She felt like a broken record...That was fine...as long as she got the point across.

"That is unfortunate." Another older council member stated.

"Most likely my great grandfather did not want anyone to know such information for he feared what it would cause our family to be…" Yahili's annoyance and anger was starting to show but she pulled off the agitation quite well. She was calm but forward in her statements. "Of course, if my parents had not been murdered by the current leadership then perhaps they would have been able to help you better than I ever could."

Yes, she was pushing buttons. There wasn't much she cared about these days, not when her world had been turned completely upside down.

"I gave my word, my oath, to be loyal to Suna." She proclaimed. "Even if the leadership is...unfortunate, I will not go back upon my word. Though I suppose it greatly displeases this council to know that the Mutou Matriarch is nothing more but a common civilian."

"Mutous were always loyal in their oaths…" Another elder stated then gave a light chuckle. "They were also quite spunky should the need arise…You certainly inherited such a trait." Yahili gave a nod to that, quite proud at his statement. "However, we believe your family trait will be a great asset in the war to come."

"War?" That was new to her. Since when did Suna proclaim war?

"Indeed...One that has every nation on its edge." Another younger elder, this one a woman, spoke to her. "With your help, Suna will be able to survive...Thus, we are requiring that you discover your family's blood trait ability…"

"I have no way of accomplishing that...seeing as that the last person to know such information is gone from this world." Yahili reasoned. "What you ask is impossible."

"Not likely…" Another older council member replied. "Certainly there are scrolls somewhere in the archives that will help you with your search. However, only shinobi are permitted into the archives…"

"Thus we have decided to grant you access...as the second hand of Lord Kazekage."

Second hand?

"Think of it as a secretary position at best." Another woman council member explained. "This way you can also be protected while on your quest to discover your family's secrets...Lord Kazekage will be best in this situation to protect a most precious treasure of Suna."

"It will also give you time to forgive him for past misdeeds…" Another reasoned then added, "You will be compensated for your work of course."

Yahili could feel her anger growing. "And does his lordship agree to this...arrangement?"

"No...I do not…"

He appeared from the shadows, the Kazekage himself. He was not dressed in the robes of his title, rather his regular clothing was upon his person. Yahili had the sneaking suspicion he had been hiding in the shadows the whole time. He made no move to stand near her; keeping quite a large distance between them both. Was he actually respecting her privacy or did he expect her to attack him at any moment?She chose the first option for Yahili knew he wasn't afraid of her.

"Lord Kazekage…" A council member seemed quite...perturbed by the Kazekage's words. "It is vital Suna uses every available asset to help win this war and protect its residence from any outcome. A Mutou is found alive and well...We can only hope she will be able to discover her family's secrets between now and the battles to come."

"There is no way for Mutou-san to accomplish this task." The red headed murderer was actually on her side, oddly enough. "Even if there were, I require no secretary. Mutou-san is not a ninja, therefore she is allowed to decide how her house lives. I and this council can only make decrees that will not impede her living choices."

Ah...so they couldn't force her to take the job because she wasn't a ninja. So...they really DID have limits to their power over civilians. Yahili side eyed the Kazekage...He was...actually stepping out of her way on this? He wasn't requiring her to take this...ridiculous second hand position because he couldn't. Yeah, that was the only reason...Still though it felt a bit...nice to know he was respecting her space...Even if he was a murdering bastard...

"Then we will have no choice...We will send word out that none in Suna shall hire Mutou Yahili…"

These bastards! Could they really do that!? By the look upon the Kazekage's face, they could.

Again, Yahili was stuck.

With the fires of hatred in her eyes, Yahili gave a bow.

"If the council of Suna commands me to be the second hand of Lord Kazekage, so be it…"

She shouldn't have come to this awful place...As she left the meeting room, Yahili actually cursed under her breath.

"Dammit, grandpa…" She muttered.

Running away was sounding like a good option right now...but she couldn't do that...Mutous never go against their word. She gave a vow to Suna…Even if it meant working directly under the man that destroyed her life.

Next Time: Insights