Wow, thanks guys, I don't know what to say. I was not expecting to have anyone reading this story at all, much less have people following and favoriting on the first day. I'm blown away. Thanks again!
demon344: Thanks! This really means a lot. Helps motivate me to write more.
uflesh940: I tried to think of what a morally upright person would do. Even for myself, who I don't consider to be an exceptionally virtuous person, I don't think I could stand by and let a young girl be kidnapped, especially if it would cause the death of another child's father. At this time I do want Ayo to be the definition of a "good guy". Almost to the point that it's a character flaw. I do have plans to temper this down a little, but he'll always try to do his best to protect others. Thanks for your review!
Chapter Four - The Hokage
I wake in an unfamiliar room. After a brief moment of confusion, my mind starts to gain clarity and I realize that I'm in the hospital. My senses tell me that I'm on the top floor of the hospital, with no other patients in any nearby rooms. My room is in the center of the building, with no windows, no points of exit other than the door, which appears to be locked.
I notice two ANBU standing guard outside the door, one of which leaves shortly after I wake up.
'Why am I at the hospital? Locked in a secluded room guarded by ANBU? Oh, that's right. I had a panic attack and passed out. Right after getting caught by Hiashi Hyuga and the Hokage being incredibly suspicious.
That ANBU must be going to inform the Hokage that I'm awake, so they can start interrogating me.
I don't even know where to begin with a plan. There's no way I'm a good enough liar to fool anyone. If even the smallest hint of a lie or misdirection is detected, they'll either send me off to be tortured or have a Yamanaka read my mind directly.
If lying outright can't be done, how about lying through omission? The Hokage is shown to be like a grandfather figure to Naruto. Maybe that'll apply to another child orphaned by the Nine-Tails and he'll take it easy on me. Maybe I'll have a chance of at least getting out of torture. I doubt he'll be able to be lenient with Hiashi directly involved though. The man did directly kill the kidnapper in the original timeline, without even trying to detain him.
Not to mention that I don't want to lie anyway. I want to believe in the Will of Fire. I want to believe that the people of Konoha are a family. A family that I want to be a part of. I don't want to lose the last chance of any semblance of a family I'll have in this life. If the Hokage notices even the smallest hint of deception, I'll lose. I don't want that.
Damnit. I'm so screwed. I just had to go off half-cocked without thinking things all the way through.'
Before I can get any more frustrated with myself, the Hokage suddenly enters my sensory range and approaches the hospital.
'Great, my enhanced brain proves useless. All this extra thinking speed and it does nothing for me. I'm going to lose it all. If I even walk out of this alive, I'm going to be alone again. Even if I told the truth, why would anyone believe me?'
By the time the Hokage enters my room, tears are falling down my face uncontrollably. I don't even notice the door opening. Nor do I notice the Hokage until he comes over to my bed and gathers me into a warm embrace.
"My boy, you are safe. Everything will be alright." The Hokage's aged voice sounds in my ears.
A few minutes pass before I can get myself under a semblance of control.
"T-thank you, Lord Hokage, I'm ready for my punishment now." I mumble with tears still slowly falling from my eyes.
The Hokage places me back on my bed and stands, turning away from me. "Why do you think you're being punished? From everything I've been told, yesterday you saved someone. You deserve a reward, not any kind punishment."
I gaped at the Hokage. 'Sure, I saved someone. I also did things no three year old should be able to, and know things that nobody else in the village knew. How is he not suspicious? Everything I did was extremely strange and suspicious!'
"I can see you're concerned about your actions. While Hiashi wanted you thrown in a cell and handed over for interrogation… I refused." The Hokage continued. "I will not be so quick to allow a child to be tortured. Especially when that child has already done a great service to the village. Even if his actions come across as very suspicious and he has knowledge that he shouldn't have."
The Hokage turned around to face me and I got a good look at him for the first time. He looked every bit like the grandfather figure in the anime. Kind eyes, with not a hint of hatred, and a gentle smile that makes one feel as if nothing will go wrong as long as he's there.
"I-I don't… You're still going to need an explanation aren't you?" I ask, eyes lowered.
"I will… While I do not believe you are a threat, I do still have to ensure the safety of Konoha."
"I don't think you'd believe me even if I told you." I mumble, hugging my knees to my chest and hiding my face.
I feel a weight settle on the bed before the Hokage says gently, "Why don't you let me decide what I want to believe?"
I look up and stare at the Hokage for a long moment. "Do you have any way of making sure nobody can listen in?"
He raises his hand and signals to an ANBU. Almost immediately I notice a distortion in the space around the room. A strange effect that doesn't block my senses. Anything past the barrier is like looking at an image that's been pulled apart, with random gaps of nothing between. I jerk in surprise and look around wildly, trying to see what my mind is detecting.
The Hokage raises an eyebrow and chuckles. "There's a barrier sealing off this room. Nobody but us will be able to hear what we discuss.
Why don't you start your explanation with how you're able to notice this barrier? It's supposed to be impossible to notice. Not even the Byakugan and Sharingan can detect it."
I blink and stare at the Hokage again. "W-why are you doing this without even questioning why? It doesn't make any sense."
He just smiles. "You're obviously much more than you seem. Privacy is a small price to pay for the truth, is it not?"
"I-" I falter before taking a deep breath and continuing. "Thank you for your trust… I can sense the barrier. My mind is… different than normal. I can sense everything in a certain range, and this barrier shows up as a very strange distortion to my senses."
This time it's the Hokage doing the staring. "That's an amazing ability you have. It seems like you might be the first of a new bloodline ability… Interesting… Now, why don't you tell me about how your chakra is unlocked, and how you knew about the attempted kidnapping? Does it have to do with your mind?"
I sigh. "Partially… What do you believe happens after death?"