My head ping-ponged around like spectators at a tennis match, only instead of following a ball I was bouncing from sight to sight, shop to shop.

'Wow, a weapons merchant! A blacksmith! A noodle restaurant? Not Ichirakus though… Oh! Another weapons shop!' it was thrilling to be outside for once. This was a privilege I hardly got in my last life, going from exploring urban streets on a wheelchair to walking around the leaf village was a significant upgrade.

What boggled my mind the most however was the Hokage mountain, I didn't have a view of it from the hospital window so I was looking at it for the first time. There was no other way to describe it other than truly majestic, the four carved faces commanded awe and respect as they overlooked the village, signifying the duty of the Hokage.

This gave me clues to the timeline. The Third Hokage was still in charge but the fourth's face was sculpted on the cliffside, meaning that the Nine-Tails had already offed him. Gramps said that I was labelled as 5 years old in Orochimaru's lab reports, the ideal situation would be if canon has yet to start, giving me ample time to prepare and grow my strength.

I wanted to question Hiruzen about the Nine-Tails attack to fully grasp the timeline but I couldn't think of a way to bring it into the conversation, the excitement I felt at walking around for the first time certainly didn't help my focus.

I was currently in what I thought to be the epicentre of the village, through the bustling crowds in front of me I could see the Hokage's office rise high above the ground. I was starstruck looking at it in the distance.

Even though the fanboy in me wanted to go and explore around even more, Hiruzen ushered me into a small restaurant whose only defining characteristic was a pair of chopsticks on a large sign that said "Rolls on Rolls".

Entering the establishment, I nearly jumped in joy.

'This smell… the "rolls" … the wasabi and soy sauce on the tables… this… this is…'

"Sushi? Is this a sushi restaurant Gramps?" I asked with stars in my eyes.

"Oho? A fan of sushi eh?" teased the Hokage, taking a seat much to the surprise of the staff, they seemed very excited to be able to serve the Hokage, but my attention was on the food that customers were already eating.

"A student once told me about this shop, he said they had the best unagi in all of the village! I never had the chance to try it out, shall we have a go?" he asked.

"You don't need to ask me twice!" I said, leaping onto the seat with a never before seen fervor. The Hokage looked at the menu and ordered for us, he asked if I wanted anything in particular but I left him in charge of it, as long as I wasn't served that horrid grey sludge ever again, I'd be happy.

While we waited for the food we bantered for a while and talked about the village's sights.

"Aoki, I was speaking with one of our top medical advisors just recently and he advised you to take a visit to a specialised doctor, one who works with the mind," Hiruzen said, breaking the streak of lighthearted conversation.

'Mind doctor? Like a psychiatrist?' I thought.

"Oh, why would I need that Gramps?" I asked inquisitively.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"The doctors ensured me that your physical health has recovered, remarkably quickly according to them, yet we both are still worried about the possible damage that your mind went through during… *that* situation" he said, referencing the tank. He continued to say, "patients that are able to identify things such as types of food, stores and possess other miscellaneous knowledge while not being able to recall their name or identity, may be unable to do so due to them having suffered from a traumatic incident in the past, that incident may be the reason that some parts of your memory are intact, and some are not," said Hiruzen, from this short explanation alone I could figure out what he was about to say next.

"The doctor I have in mind is called Inoichi Yamanaka, he is the best in his field and I can assure you that everything will be carried out with care," the Hokage said in a grandfatherly smile.

'I see.'

It wasn't a shocking revelation to know that he had been watching me and my expressions as I walked through the village, I was still an unknown variable, I wasn't someone he had complete faith in.

'So as I was gawking around, he was studying my reactions.' I thought, slightly uncomfortable with that fact.

Should I be distrustful of him? Maybe, but at the very least I should be wary. Regardless I knew this was a long time coming.

I can speak the language fluently, read the writing, and speak to others as a native with a vocabulary beyond my age. Many things about me were suspicious, it was bound to raise some eyebrows.

However, I cannot allow my mind to be read. I am unsure if my previous life's memories could even be read but it was not a risk I was willing to take, I made up my mind long ago that this secret of mine is one I'll take to the grave.

I was scrambling right now, somehow, I was able to remain calm and ask him a question to stall as I built up my argument, "Gramps, what would that man do?".

The Hokage explained the procedure of going into Inoichi Yamanaka's home and getting some tea, after which he would use his Jutsu on me and would do his best to look through my mind to observe anything that may be plaguing me. He made having your brain ripped out of your head and read like a picture book sound like a fun tea-time activity.

After his explanation, I waited for a while to finalise the argument I had built in my head against the procedure, a moment later, I made my move.

"Gramps" I looked at him and held onto the hem of his robe, calling to him as candidly as I could.

"My body… my mind… I've only had real control over it for a couple of weeks…" I knew that objectively speaking, my defence against getting mind read was against me, if I was in his position and a strange kid popped up who was being tested on by a rogue ninja, I would definitely want to ensure that he wasn't harmful to the village I swore to protect.

If objectively I cannot enforce my argument, I need to do my best to play on his emotions, use the emotions that I feel, or at the very least the emotions that he feels that I feel, and use them to embolden my argument.

"It feels so weird Gramps, to know all I know but not where I learnt it… to not remember anything before the last week; even with my new name, I don't know who I really am Gramps…" I paused for a while before continuing.

"Please Gramps… never again, I want me to be me, I want to be the one in control of my mind and my body."

"Please gramps, don't make me have to go through that again." I channelled memories of sitting in that blasted hospital room in my previous life, I used the misery that I felt while chained to those sheets to twist my expression into one of fear.

As I spoke more and more, Hiruzen's face fell, at my final plea, he winced as he saw my expression. Even someone with zero social intelligence could tell that he was regretful.

"Aoki, there's no need to say please, I would never force something like that upon you; child cheer up, the food will be here soon!" Hiruzen laid a hand on me and rubbed my shoulders with a hushed voice, at the end he clumsily switched the subject to one he knew I liked.

I guess I'll throw him a bone.

"Really? Thank you so much Gramps! I'm so happy." I smiled the smiliest smile I could muster, even if it was cheesy, I knew the man would have some of the regret he felt seeing my expression alleviate.

Behind the smile my opinion of the man had shifted considerably, I had to be on my toes in this world. As beautiful as it is, as excited as I am to live my life properly for once, I cannot forget the cunning and brutal nature of the world I now inhabit.

I didn't have to fake a cheesy smile much longer as plates of food arrived, switching up my cheesy smile into one of genuine mirth.