"So that's how it is..." Hashirama stood up with a sigh and looked at the child, who barely reached half his height. He still had plenty of questions, but he simply couldn't bring himself to be stern with someone so little. Getting angry wouldn't solve anything, after all.
The kid's train of thought might have gone completely off the rails, but if he truly meant harm, he wouldn't have needed to put himself in this situation. At least so far, Hashirama had never met anyone foolish enough to lock himself in with his enemy.
Besides, if this child wasn't him, there was little point in giving someone in an illusion a hard time.
Still, looking at the child's long hair and rather delicate face, Hashirama hesitantly opened his mouth. In the end, he settled on a more tactful question. "Can this illusion change someone's sex?"
Though puzzled, the child thought for a moment before patiently answering, "Normally, an illusion is based on reality. The logical connections within it might become rather vague, but unless there's some discrepancy in your own sense of identity, it shouldn't. Why do you ask?"
Hashirama looked away. "No reason."
Seeing that Hashirama didn't want to explain, the child didn't press him. Instead, he suddenly rubbed his stomach. "I'm a little hungry. I'm going to find something to eat. Want to come?"
"Where?"
As though something had occurred to him, Hashirama suddenly added, "Is he here right now too?"
"I don't know."
Before Hashirama could ask anything else, the child cut him off as though he had anticipated it, pointing at a building.
"See that house up ahead? Yes, that one. Let's get something to eat there first."
"..."
Forced to swallow all his questions, Hashirama followed behind him, rubbing his forehead and sighing inwardly. Ever