Whoo hoo! Another chapter up for you guys! My goal is to get this sucker up and running by next week! Yep, it's a short story, so it's not taking me long to write (just need some quiet time and BAM! writer mode!) With work and all I only have a few times in the year that I can write and many times I am working on other projects so writing has to take a back seat. I'm glad I'm able to get back to writing at the moment!

Enjoy!

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

Chapter 4: Insights

Gaara was utterly furious, beyond furious even yet he didn't outwardly show it. He knew the council's decision well before they announced it because they had told him before sending for Mutou-san. Yes, using the so called Mutou blood trait WOULD be valuable if it was as powerful as it seemed but forcing the young woman to obtain what obviously cannot be obtained was ridiculous. There were NO records of Mutou blood trait nor was there any family members to help her. What exactly did the council expect her to do?

Gaara wanted nothing to do with the Mutou woman mostly because he didn't want to cause her anymore pain. He had deduced they would rarely see each other due to his work and believed she would be fine on her own.

The council seemed to think otherwise.

He was starting to get annoyed...furiosity and annoyance were a toxic combination for Gaara. After exiting the council meeting he had to take long deep breaths before returning to his senses. There was no time for this...The world was on the brink of war and he was worried about a single civilan's image of him.

The moment he returned to his office, Gaara explained to Baki the situation. Let Baki handle the Mutou woman. It would get the man off his back, allowing Gaara to work in peace. With the Akatsuki threat and the merging of the shinobi villages, Gaara had no time for a secretary. He had to make sure his ninja were ready and that Suna's residence would be safe during the war.

That included Mutou Yahili.

Speaking of her, she arrived the next morning to perform her duties; Gaara knew this when Baki informed him. After hours of signing documents, Gaara had become quite curious as to what Baki was instructing Mutou-san to do. Realizing it was midday already he truly deserved a small break...what better way to turn away from paperwork than to check on his supposed new secretary's work?

Using the third eye he searched the tower for her and Baki's presence. He located them in the scroll room. Mutou-san was apparently filing scrolls under the watchful eyes of Baki.

"Make sure everything is filed appropriately." Gaara heard Baki say. Amazing what you could do after a bit more training. Before all Gaara could do was watch with the third eye, now he was able to listen with it as well.

"Are all of these mission scrolls?" She huffed in annoyance while placing a rather large scroll on a shelf nearby.

"Mostly." Baki explained. "Some contain the history of Suna while others are used for the academy." He gave her a light scowl. "The academy ones are, of course, off limits to you."

She rolled her eyes. "Even if I read a ninjutsu scroll I wouldn't be able to use the information on it. Besides, I gave a vow. I have no use for ninjutsu anyway." She hefted another scroll onto another shelf. "Tell me something...How did…" Mutou-san swallowed hard. "The current….Kazekage...Get his position?"

"The Kazekage position is hereditary." Baki explained. "If you had gone to civilian school you would have known such information but seeing as that your existence wasn't known until now, I can only assume your parents hid you from Suna's leadership."

"Well...I guess that's the main reason why I spent all my time with my grandfather on the outskirts then…" Mutou-san's conclusion made sense. "Don't worry, my grandfather taught me to read and write...He loved history so he spent the majority of our time together talking about it." That got her a raised eyebrow from Baki. "No...Nothing about our family blood trait...It was mostly ancient Suna history, the kind that isn't expressly taught in Suna anymore...At least that's what my grandfather used to say." She picked up another scroll. "He always said that when our family was in power, it was the Age of Gold...when we left power...It became the Age of Death."

Then Mutou-san frowned. "There were no others to fill the Kakzekage position?"

"Lord Kazekage's siblings also were able to be granted the role, however seeing as that they wanted him to have the position, it was granted to Lord Gaara." She gave him a look. "Lady Temari and Lord Kankurou are Lord Gaara's elder siblings."

That got her to groan. "I should have known…" Mutou-san shook her head. "Of course his siblings would want to keep an eye on me." She stared at the scroll in her hand. "It's ironic really...He kills my whole world...yet he gets to keep his...Irony seems to be too cruel these days." She sighed. "I don't even have a tombstone to grieve over."

"That is not true, Mutou-san." Baki's words had her looking his way. "When Lord Gaara became Kazekage, he personally made gravestones for all of those that he killed, including the Mutous. Though there are no bodies buried underneath, Lord Kazekage made sure they were recognized."

Gaara remembered that day very well. In the Kazekage robes he walked into Suna's graveyard and worked through the night creating tombstones. The very next day he asked any family that he had hurt to come to the graveyard and choose a gravestone for their loved ones of which he personally placed the names upon. Since, at that time, there were no perceived living Mutous Gaara had to look up their names. The Mutou family tombstone had Yugi Mutou's name as well as his son's and Yahili's parents engraved within. There were no records of Yahili to begin with...Her parents had hid her well.

"Why would he…?" Mutou-san was flabbergasted with this new information. In her mind he was nothing more than a bloodthirsty killer so of course it was surprising for her to discover said killer had regrets.

"Remorse and regret weigh heavily upon the Kazekage's back, Mutou-san." Baki told her. "I will not lie, it was rather difficult for the populace to first accept him as their leader but over time they realized Lord Gaara had changed. Ever since he returned from the Chunin Exams those many years ago, he had relinquished his blood lust thoughts and replaced them with thoughts of protecting Suna's people. Even now he worries over them, including you Mutou-san."

"Everyone expects me to forgive and let go...That is a very hard task for me to accomplish you know." Mutou-san gave Baki a glare. "But seeing as that I have no choice there is nothing I am able to do about it...Seems my choices these days are few in between."

"Sometimes when there are too many paths before us," Baki ignored her glare, "we need someone to help us choose." He gave her a long stare. "Your family's blood trait could very well turn the tides in the battles to come, Mutou-san. We of Suna will help you discover it…"

"Just so you can use it to it win your wars." Mutou-san spat out.

"That and more…" Baki told her. "Mutou-san, Suna prides itself in its heritage as should you. Discovering all there is to know about your family will bring pride to you and us...Whether you like it or not, you are a daughter of Suna and that, in turn, makes you part of the Kazekage's family." He headed towards the door. "Take a break, Mutou-san...You have earned such. I will be back shortly." He was gone, leaving Mutou-san alone.

The young woman stood in silence in the messy archives. Baki seemed to know his presence truly wasn't needed, for she wouldn't read anything she wasn't supposed to. Gaara watched as Mutou-san took Baki's advice and sat at a nearby table. Leaning her head back she closed her eyes and began to hum a strange tune...The humming soon became words that rang in Gaara's ears.

The king of old says follow me

Out into the open sea

Need no boat and need no sail

The sea is fine, come walk the trail

See the monster, see it glows

Only the true Mutou knows.

Next Time: Snakes