3 The beginning [Part-3]

'Where am I...?

Oh right, all that stuff from yesterday... It was all real. I don't even know how to deal with all this. I don't want to deal with this.'

She gulped and slowly lifted up her hand.

'I've shrunk. Have I really reincarnated?

I guess I did end up, either in the past, probably in Japan, or somewhere else and my body turned into a, probably, 5-year old child. I hope I didn't possess anyone as a ghost or something though, that would be kind of creepy.'

A medic, as he called himself, came in to check on Veronica. Her wounds hadn't healed yet but she was much better than before. She noticed the doctor having a very shocked expression on his face when he looked at Veronica's wounds. Immediately after, he and the other nurses were very tensed around her.

She didn't think much of the shadow she saw in the corner of the room for a second.

She obediently and quietly allowed every single test they wanted to do on her. It was a bit uncomfortable for her however, they seemed to completely ignore her discomfort. Some of them would look at her like she was a monster, while others would treat her like some test subject. She decided to not do anything about it for now.

They asked for her to follow them so she could meet with the Hokage to which Veronica could only guess that either this village was a very big Naruto merchandise or something, or she really was in Naruto.

'I'll just go with the flow for now I guess...'

"How are you doing now child? I heard that you were found, outside Konoha in a river, by our shinobi."-Hokage

His face had a grandfatherly smile with eyes that shone with kindness.

'So they don't trust me. You could've just said that you'd be treating me like an outsider and not be playing mind games here, dear Hokage-sama.'

She decided to play the role of an innocent child for now and try to get to safety.

"Y-yes..."-Veronica

The Hokage, who'd sensed her emotions through her chakra being defensively curled up around her, tried to decrease the pressure on her.

'Strange... It feels as though I'm doing some sort of exercise that's straining my throat whenever I speak. I won't be able to talk for long if this keeps up.

Bitch. There's something wrong with your throat obviously.

Oh yea, thanks inner voice.

No prob.

-For pointing out the obvious.'

She ignored the fact that she did not have any inner voice before this. She doubted she had the time to think about it when standing in front of a supposed military dictator of some kind of shinobi village.

Veronica motioned for the blank papers and a set of quills on the table to which the Hokage looked at her questionably. He didn't know why she would ask for them but allowed her to take a look. She quickly wrote something down and showed it to him.

She didn't notice the tense ANBU hidden around Hiruzen.

<Is it alright if I communicate like this? My throat seems to hurt when I try to speak.>

[A/n: If the text is like this, <...>, then the mc is writing and not speaking.]

"Of course it is, but what seems to be wrong with your voice?"-Hokage

<I do not know. It feels like I'm doing some sort of hard exercise when I try to speak.>

"I see. I will have the medics give you another check up then. So, what is your name young one?"-Hokage

She paused as she thought about her own name. It was the only identity she had ever since she was a child that wasn't, 'orphan kid'. Even if her face changed she couldn't give up her own name so easily.

<Veronica.>

"Veronica? Well, that is quite an odd name... Veronica, what happened for you to be so injured?"-Hokage

Her name came out a bit out when the Hokage pronounced but she chose to not point it out.

<I was walking back to the orphanage when I saw someone murder another person. He seemed furious that someone walked in on him killing someone and ran after me. I tried to outrun him but it didn't work. He then stabbed me, I think. After that, I sort of remember waking up in a river and holding onto a piece of wood. And then some white haired person carrying me.>

'I don't think I said anything that would land me in trouble.'

Veronica was sitting a bit tensed and the Hokage noticed that. She tried to show a bit of nervousness instead of fear on her face and it seemed to have worked considering how the Hokage put on a small assuring smile for her.

"I see, do you know which village you came from?"-Hokage

<No, but it was a small town and the orphanage was near a mountain.>

"Hm, well would you like to stay here then for the time being?"-Hokage

The Hokage probably had no plans to send his shinobi out to search for a random orphanage for some kid he had no relation to.

<Will I get food?>

"Y-yes, you will."-Hokage

He gave a weary smile at her question while Veronica was in deep thought.

'There are two options right now, either become a regular citizen or be a ninja. If word gets out that I know information about this world then I'll have to have something to protect myself with. Being a ninja seems best for now. Besides, I'll be able to save all of my favorite characters.

I'll need a reliable teacher as well. Right now, I only know of Asuma and Kakashi here. Although they aren't the best but it's the only option I have. I can't say their names as well so I'll have to point out there features and hopefully not mess up. Well, that and I'll have make sure to not place all my trust in them as well. They are both loyal to the village. If I tell them anything more than whatever normal kids know then I will be questioned.'

She had bought herself some time with asking some random children-like questions. Time to think.

She'd already pointed out that she saw and remembered Kakashi when she talked of a man with white hair so it she could ask for him to take care of her for a while, which was a gamble in whether it would work or not. If it did work, then she would have to be careful to not get attached. She knew herself better than anyone, she knew she could slip up and let out some information she shouldn't know, if she got comfortable with anyone. She would have to make up a face and identity full of lies then.

She wasn't a wolf in sheep's clothing.

She was just a story teller in that world, now she'll have to be a ninja, and bloody her hands with innocent blood, to protect herself.

And that's what ninja did, right? They were liars whose whole identity might as well be lies themselves.

"Could I... Stay with the man who had saved me...?"-Veronica

"I'm sorry child but, he is a shinobi. He wouldn't be able to take care of you."-Hokage

She could see the thoughtful look that had crossed his face though. That meant, she could possibly win this gamble.

After some fake tears from Veronica and more pestering, the Hokage gave in and summoned for Kakashi.

"I want you to act as her temporary guardian."-Hokage

"But I-" -Kakashi

Kakashi glanced towards the said child and visibly flinched. She was sobbing and tears had already formed in her eyes. He also pitted her but taking care of child just didn't seem right with him.

In the end, he reluctantly agreed when the Hokage said to take it as a mission and to get as much information out of her as possible. Guiding her towards his apartment, he sighed at the ANBU following them.

He swore he saw the Hokage smiling in amusement towards him just before he left though.

Although he guessed that wasn't the only reason why he was given this 'mission'.

He knew himself that he was becoming suicidal at the rate he was going. He practically begged for the Hokage to give him life threatening missions, even as an ANBU. He knew his time in the organization was running out.

'I guess fake crying always works.'

The walk was silent and Veronica's thoughts drifted off to about her past life.

*I don't even know what's wrong with me anymore.*

Veronica missed them. She didn't know how long she would be able to keep going before the hole in her heart became too big to hide.

She was lost.