Gaara walked back in his office and wanted to get back to his paperwork, when suddenly he heard robotic footsteps walking in.

He cocked up and carefully listened, staying calm.

"Lord Kazekage, we need to talk..." he heard a deep, somewhat strict voice.

Slight smile covered his face as he looked back and glanced upon Mekano.

"I'm listening," he gave a calm reply, leaning on his writing desk.

Mekano frowned and walked up to him, his red eye glittering.

"You need to train us all, not only Shamo," Mekano declared, and then sighed. "I know we're not related to you by blood or anything, but..." he puckered, looking down, "our parents are at war. They clearly need our help but they say we're not ready yet..." he clenched his metal fist," Well we want to be ready! And you are the only one who can prepare us!" he had a pleading gaze, "Please, Lord Kazekage!"

Gaara beamed to him.

"Mekano, you all are nephews and nieces to me," he said. "You're Shamo's cousins, her brothers and sisters, and the children of my beloved, and my old friends. I do perceive you as a family. Lao wrote me in that scroll to train you whenever I could, and I will do so. I will make sure we all are able to help your elders in the east".

Hearing this, Mekano widened eyes.

"What? You mean..."

"Yes. I will send my troops over the ocean, to the eastern continent, and lead them myself, to aid Hidden Fir in battle," Gaara smiled.

Mekano gasped, his eyes brightening.

"Amazing..." he mumbled, and grinned: "Now that I call a man!"

Gaara laughed.

"Seriously, thank you very much..." Mekano smiled, "We need all the support we can get".

"Well then, the training starts tomorrow," Gaara said.

"Fine," Mekano slightly bowed and walked out, being really happy.

Shamo has such a cool father... he thought, while walking to the Lin boys' new room. I hope we all get stronger... he looked at his mechanic arm. Maybe I can finally understand more about my powers...

---

On the second day, Hana, who was taken to the Hidden Sand hospital, finally woke up. She noticed her neck was bandaged, and she couldn't speak...

It got her nervous. Then her memories started popping up - of how she got kidnapped, taken to the underground base... Then how her cousins and some strangers came to her rescue, and how she felt pain on her throat, after which she quickly blacked out...

Oh god, did those damn bandits really cut her?!

She hastily rubbed her bandaged neck, and got certain it was cut... heavily. And she understood why she couldn't speak... She could open her mouth, but utter no words...

Tears came to her eyes - why did this disaster happen?! Would she never be able to speak again?! Oh god, not only that!

She got stressed and worried, leaping up, but she felt weak and tired, falling back on her bed.

Suddenly the door opened and a nurse came in, checking on her. When she saw she was awake, she gasped and exclaimed:

"Oh, you woke up already!"

Hana got scared and glanced upon her fearfully, not knowing what reaction to have - what was this place? Was she again in another base of bandits, or at a safe place?

But this white room did seem like a hospital palate...

"How are you feeling?" the nurse came up to her.

Hana got even more nervous and leaned against the wall in fright.

"Oh, please don't be scared..." the nurse smiled, "You're safe. This is the Hidden Sand Village hospital".

Hana widened eyes - so this place was indeed a hospital... The Hidden Sand?! She was in the Hidden Sand?! That would be another Hidden Village of the western continent... Was it as powerful as the Hidden Cloud? Who knows...

"I will inform your cousins that you're well," the nurse beamed and walked out.

Her cousins?! So they were here too?!

She sighed in relief - yes, she was safe after all... So her cousins did manage to rescue her...

But what about her voice? Oh, let her be fine!

She worriedly clenched her fists.

Soon the door widely opened and her cousins rushed in!

She leaped up and smiled happily - they were here! Oh, finally! Thank goodness!

"Oh, Hana, you're okay! Thank god!" Shamo ran up to her and dashed at her, hugging her tightly, tears of joy falling off her eyes, "We were so worried about you!"

"Hana, you're fine! I'm so glad!" Kaen brightened in no less happiness, hugging her after Shamo.

"We're so joyful you're okay," Mekano beamed, "What didn't we think!"

"Yeah, so good everything's alright," Shusui sighed in relief, caressing Hana.

"Aww, Hana, big sis! I was so scared!" Nami rejoiced and jumped on her feet, hugging her lovingly.

Hana smiled joyfully, seeing all of her beloved cousins together with her again... She missed them so much!

Tears appeared in her eyes. She was smiling and hugging them, but the cousins could easily notice she uttered no word...

"Um, Hana, are you alright? Say something!" Kaen giggled.

"Yeah, come on! There have been ages since we've seen you! Are you fine? How are you feeling?" Shamo beamed kindly.

Hana smiled, but then she bitterly sighed and pointed them on her throat, then shaking her head.

The cousins widened eyes...

"What?! You mean you can't speak?!" Mekano gasped in fright.

Hana looked down. She quietly nodded.

The cousins were shocked.

"Oh, god, it's all my fault!" Shamo got worried again.

Meanwhile, Gaara had also come in, and was talking with the nurse, who had a concerned face.

"We treated her with all we could, Lord Kazekage, but..." she sighed.

"Is anything wrong?" Gaara got worried, "Please tell me!"

"She... Well..." the nurse looked down, being saddened. "You see, Lord Fifth, her throat was severely cut. There could be nothing done... Some of her speech organs are heavily damaged. I'm sorry, but..." she sighed, "she will never be able to speak again..." she whispered.

"What?!" Gaara was shocked - Lao had put him in charge of all these kids, and he had just let one of them lose her voice?! And for eternity?! He lost all of his calmness. "That cannot be done!" he exclaimed, "Did you use every method?! Please call the Hidden Leaf! Call Lady Tsunade, Lady Sakura, whoever you want! Don't leave the poor child like that!" he pleaded, being distressed.

The nurse sighed again.

"We contacted Ladies of the Hidden Leaf, Lord Fifth. We told them about the situation. It was they who concluded that nothing could be done..."

"You're not being serious..." Gaara put hand on his forehead, being frightened.

"Lady Tsunade visited us herself actually, the other day," the nurse informed him, "Though, she said herself that the further intervention could cause even greater damage... I'm really sorry..." she looked down.

Gaara was frozen.

He was responsible for these kids... And he failed... On the very first day!

"Father, is Hana really mute?!" Shamo ran up to him in all of a sudden, her eyes in tears, "Please! Can't there be anything done?!"

He widened eyes looking at her - the child was so worried and stressed...

The nurse glanced at both of them, and sighed in sadness, knowing that she and the whole hospital had failed their respectable Kazekage...

Gaara puckered, clenching his fist in sorrow and grief, and replied to Shamo quietly:

"Shamo, there always is a way..."

"So... You say she can be saved?" Shamo's eyes widened with a glimpse of hope.

Gaara sighed, and then puckered.

"I will think of something. I will not let it pass by so easily!" he clenched his fist, "You all are entrusted to me... I cannot fail..."

Shamo sighed, guessing that they had no solution at that moment.

"Dad..."

But suddenly, Gaara's eyes widened.

"Or maybe... there already is a way!" he said and hastily walked up to Hana.

"What? What way?" Shamo curiously ran after him.

"Well it's an old trick of your mother but since I'm her guardian I'll check if I can pull it off..." Gaara uttered, being concerned. He glanced down at Hana, who was surrounded by her cousins.

All of the children stared at Gaara astonishedly - what was he going to do?

Hana looked up at him dumbfoundedly - who was he?

She still didn't know Gaara as at the time the cousins met him she was still kidnapped...

"Father, what's your plan?" Shamo asked.

And here, Hana gasped in shock - 'father'?! She called him 'father'?!

Seeing her surprise, Mekano and the other cousins chuckled.

"Yeah Hana, Lord Kazekage is Shamo's father," Mekano notified her.

Hana was amazed - her father was of such a high rank! A Kage! So cool!

Gaara fell in his thoughts. Then he gave Shamo a significant gaze.

"Shamo, dear, listen. You hold Diyuma's full powers now, right?"

"Um, yes," Shamo confusedly answered, as she didn't know what her father wanted with that.

"Give me your hand," Gaara demanded.

"Oh... Okay..." Shamo shrugged and stretched out her hand. Gaara grabbed it and closed eyes, weaving a special sign with his other palm.

The cousins looked at it, and gasped:

"You know the sign of Thousand Spirits?!" Nami was astounded.

"What is that?" Kaen got curious.

"Haven't you ever heard?" Nami scolded him, "It is a very powerful energy release sign of the elder monks - they used it by Lady Hao Lin's teachings, invented back in ancient times, in order to heal the injured and the wounded... They say it is one of Diyuma's ultimate powers..."

"Yes, it is that," Gaara calmly replied, "Back in my youth when I met your mothers and fathers - Lao and her siblings - we fought together against a dark energy beast, Kurokami. That was the first time Diyuma and I connected and used combined powers. I entered Diyuma's and Lao's common inner mind, and there they taught me this jutsu, in order to send me back on earth and give me strength to fight, because at that time I was severely injured. This jutsu, or, more precisely, energy release, can heal even very heavy wounds, such as injuries caused from dark energy".

"And you can pull that jutsu off no matter you're not an eastern ninja? So cool!" Nami widened eyes in amazement.

Gaara beamed.

"Well, I'm still Diyuma's Guardian... Okay, let's see what we can do," and with these words, he took off Hana's neck bandages and put his two fingers unto her throat, right on her big cut, sending the light energy to her! He had borrowed the energy from Shamo's Diyuma spirit while holding her hand.

When Shamo guessed what his father had done, she widened eyes in stupefaction.

"Wow..." she uttered.

Hana watched Gaara's actions with a glimpse of hope in her eyes - maybe this would actually work...

Suddenly, the cut glowed brightly, and most of the wound closed, only leaving a scar mark!

The children widened eyes in amazement.

"Wow..." they murmured.

Hana hastily rubbed her cut, and when she got sure it was gone and only scar was left, she exclaimed joyfully:

"It is gone! The whole pain is gone!"

But then she realised she had actually spoken, and gasped in astonishment, then giving a huge cry of joy!

Shamo screamed in happiness and all of the cousins dashed at Hana, hugging her tightly.

"Oh, so cool, your voice is back!" they cried.

"My voice! I can speak!" Hana was no less joyful.

Gaara beamed kindly and crossed his arms.

Yeah, his daughter was totally like her mother... So emotional...

All of the children suddenly looked back at him, gratitude shimmering in their eyes.

Shamo stood up, and walked up to him, looking into his green eyes.

"Father... Thank you..." tears fell off on her cheeks, and she cuddled with her father.

Gaara at first got surprised, but then he smiled and wrapped his arms around her, caressing her on head.

"Hurrah for the Lord Kazekage!" Kaen cried and raised his hand.

"Hurrah!" the children whooped.

Gaara was smiling. He felt really joyful... These kids reminded him of his sweet youth, spent with his beloved, and her amazing siblings... He remembered good old times of how he, Naruto, his brother-in-law Shikamaru, Leaf friends, and his beloved with her siblings, together brought down the common enemy, and maintained peace on their lands...

And here now, he could see all of those siblings' children, along with his own...

But he could still remember there was one problem - what would Shinki, his adoptive son, think of his newly discovered daughter, and all of these children?

I hope they get along... he thought.

But that was just a hope.