In the end, I decided the village was too large for me to fully explore all the stores in one day, and despite not having found what I was looking for, I started making my way home, though on a whim, decided to take out my frustrations on one of the shopkeepers I had seen scowl at me and entered a general store hunting for some writing supplies.
Penmanship had been something that had fascinated me in my past life and I had fantasized often about being able to use my hands to create pretty words and lines on paper, spending hours watching videos on the matter.
The shop owner was too busy sorting items on the shelves near the registry to notice me entering, but it did not matter, I would have to buy things from people that did not like me at some point, so I might as well start now and nip the issue of being exploited in the bud. I wouldn't reward disdain with profits, but who knew, perhaps being known as the store that served me would cause them to lose clientèle over time?
I knew I was reaching at straws to justify myself, but it would be fine for now, I really wanted to start writing.
As I made my way through the aisles, I stopped at the stationary aisle, collecting knick knacks as they drew my attention, filling a portable cart with a ram of paper, a few notebooks, a dozen pencils, two ink bottles, an ink brush as well as one of those children's writing books where each page was an alphabetical letter or number traced repeatedly in dotted line for beginners to learn how to write by filling in the characters.
Frankly, it wasn't much, but it was a decent enough start to my writing career and as good an expenditure of 22 Ryo as I could ever get.
Going back to the front of the shop for the checkout turned out to be an interesting and amusing experience, as the clerk had clearly not been expecting me to be his next customer and the shift of expressions on his stoic face from being startled, to frightened, before scowling and then returning to a mask of measured professionalism was quite entertaining. I probably would have missed the spectacle had I not been paying close attention to him and his reactions.
How often did anyone notice their cashier's facial expressions, really?
I had fun watching him bag my items somberly, even as he nodded politely at my cheerful "Hello", though once it was time to pay, I felt my excitement and my smile grow even wider when he announced the price as it meant I would get to play a little with my food.
"That will be thirty-three Ryo." He announced, and I made a show of appearing confused at the sum, furrowing my eyebrows, even tilting my head to the side a little, in apparent confusion.
"That's not what the price tag said." I informed him helpfully as if I was helping him correct a small mistake he had inadvertently made.
"Those prices are for Shinobi. There is a tax for civilians." He replied with an uncaring shrug, and I beamed in acceptance.
It was a good excuse really, it might even have worked if only I hadn't already known it was customary for all shops in the village to include taxes into the prices displayed on the shelves.
"Oh, alright then. Here you go." I said cheerfully offering him a 100 Ryo bill from my pocket before setting up the trap. "This store is located on number forty-eight, Tobirama street, correct?" I asked.
"Yes, why?" He answered my question with one of his own, now suspicious even as he opened the register and tucked in my bill.
"Oh, Lord Third told me to keep track of everything I bought, and tell him the price of each item. He told me about a secret law or something... I am not sure; I was not really paying attention at that point. Can I have your name too, please?" I replied earnestly, enjoying immensely how quickly the color had drained from his face.
"Oh! I had no idea you knew the Hokage... Tell you what kid, just this once, I will waive the taxes for you, it's only going to be 22 Ryo." He suggested immediately, as his jaw set in an ugly grimace, a mix somewhere between a sneer and a wince.
"Nah, it's okay." I graciously shut down his generosity towards me. "I don't mind doing my part for the village. I am not a Shinobi, so I will pay my taxes like everyone else. I am sure gramps will be even prouder of me when I tell him."
The contrast between the owner's horrified expression and my proud smile would probably be a memory I would forever treasure, especially after his expression strained further when he heard me refer to the village leader as "gramps", as if he and I were familiar enough to use such endearment terms when speaking to and about each other.
"Wait! Kid, I just realized, you are my thousandth customer this month, which means everything you buy here today is free!" He exclaimed after a moment, and I had to mentally applaud the slipperiness of the rat.
It was an extremely sloppy out, but I had to give it to him, the man could think on his feet, he had not hesitated before offering his offer and to be fair to him, it would have worked on a regular kid.
"Really?" I asked earnestly instead, putting as much enthusiasm as I could into the question and smiling wider.
"Yes. But you have to keep quiet about it, alright? I don't want everyone to try and be the thousandth person here every month to avoid paying." He told me mock sternly, hope slowly returning in his face.
"Alright!" I exclaimed in fake happiness. "But if everything is free, I'm going to buy a few more things." I shouted, picking a few bags with me and running back to the aisle, filling them to the brink with more rams of paper, notebooks, ink bottles and other writing materials, ignoring his shouts of protest.
"This is okay, right?" I asked a few minutes later, when I came back with many bags in hands, to the point where I had trouble holding them all with my four years old strength.
"Sure."
The strain in his voice was music to my ear.
"But you can't tell anyone about your purchases here, alright?" He asked, handing me a one-hundred Ryo bill back. It was a different one from the one I had given him, more worn and faded. I didn't comment on it however, happy to let him have this symbolic victory.
It was impressive how even from the jaws of defeat, he still was trying his best to turn things around.
It was almost commendable. If only he hadn't tried hustling me.
Deciding not to answer verbally, I nodded vigorously at him before picking my bags and leaving the store, snickering all the way back home.
I was confident the Hokage would not hold my lies against me if he ever learned that I used his name to extort hateful villagers, but I was aware this would probably be the last time such an opportunity would present itself before word got around that treating me unfairly could result in troubles with the authorities, which was a shame as being underestimated was so much fun...