Title: I'm gonna be Hokage

Author: Previously-8

Rating: G

Summary: Naruto always swore that he would be Hokage... but it was a long time before anyone believed in him as much as he tried to believe in himself.


"When I grow up, I'm gonna be the Hokage!"

"Give it up... Someone like you could never be Hokage."

This was the reaction of one of the parent's of Naruto's classmates when, at the end of the school year, the students were asked to tell everyone what their plans for the future were. Some of the other parents and their sons or daughters snickered after that man's comment. Others stared down at the blonde boy with unmasked disdain and hatred. Naruto walked home alone, fighting back tears.

"As soon as I'm done here, I'm gonna be the Hokage!"

"Yeah, right. That's never going to happen."

His grade school teachers, too, laughed it off as stupidity, with anger in their eyes as though the mere thought of Naruto as Hokage made them mad. His classmates followed the example set by the teachers, getting angry with him over small things and sneering at him when they weren't angry. Everyone mocked his dream. Naruto walked home alone with a determined gaze but a heavy heart.

"I need to eat all the ramen I can to make me strong! I'm gonna be the Hokage!"

"What a nice dream to have... But don't you think that you're aiming a bit too high?"

Teuchi, the man who owned Ramen Ichiraku, and his daughter were the first people to show any kind of support towards Naruto's ambition and also the first to offer him a bowl of ramen. However, their support was wary and hesitant at best and always followed by pity: they didn't truly believe that he could do it. Naruto walked home alone, but with his head held high in confidence- at least until some bullies caught up to him.

"I don't care if I'm the last in the class! All I need is guts! I'm gonna be the Hokage!"

"Future Hokages do need a little brains to go along with their guts, you know..."

Iruka-sensei frowned at him because of his dismal lack of work effort, but never once did Iruka make fun of Naruto's dream. His backhanded support was followed by the first real smile he had ever seen on the young boy's face- it lit him up like a sun. Afterwards, Iruka wondered how it was that no one noticed how fake most of the golden-haired kid's smiles were. Naruto walked home alone, but he found that, finally, he could look forward to the next day.

"I'm gonna be strong! I'm gonna be the Hokage!"

"I see. You're going to have to train hard."

Kakashi-sensei's support for Naruto's ambition was completely open, if never stated outright. Still, it meant the world to a kid who had never before had people believe in him. Naruto's determination became stronger than it ever was before when he never thought anyone would glance twice at someone like him. Now, Naruto walked home after waving goodbye to his first true friends.

"As soon as I finish learning these cool moves, I'm gonna be the Hokage!"

"I don't doubt it, kid. Good luck!"

Jiraiya never even questioned Naruto's resolve. The Toad Sage may have teased the boy on many occasions, but never once told Naruto that he couldn't do it. Jiraya had absolute faith that Naruto could accomplish whatever he wanted to do- and he made sure that Naruto knew it too. Naruto's heart was filled with a happiness that went soul deep and never faltered again.

He may still have walked home alone, but never again did he feel lonely.

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.

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A/N

Well there it was... my first venture into the anime side of this website. What do you think? Please review, if only for the sake of equivalent exchange. Oops- wrong anime :)... the point still stands, though: any author appreciates reviews, even if it's just a small note to say you were here.

Thank you (or rather "arigatou") for reading!