Story background and what to expect
'Gai would make a good brother' an idea that popped in my head. Second idea was 'Itachi and Izumi should have a happy ending'.
Initially, these two ideas ran separately in my head until I realized that, the story will be richer if I combined them both. So I did.
The main storyline will follow canon storyline, with few changes here and there. Naruto will be in this story but more of interactions, rather than main characters.
...and nope, A Tale of Two Jinchūriki is not on a break, I wrote Maito Mai using my phone while chapters for A Tale of Two Jinchūriki are in my laptop, which cannot access FanFiction for some reasons. Once these internet issues have been resolved, A Tale of Two Jinchūriki will be my primary until it is finished while Maito Mai will be written on my spare-spare time.
In the meantime...I hope you will enjoy this story.
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(About 18 months before Naruto was born)
Twelve years old Maito Gai was running around Konoha when he saw a small bird chirping and hovering above him.
'Now?' thought Gai.
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Hokage Office
"Hokage-sama" Gai greeted Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato. He also saw his teammates, Ebisu and Shiranui Genma, looking a bit worse for wear. He raised his eyebrow 'What are you guys doing here looking like that'
"Gai-" said Minato, Gai turned his attention to him "-a couple of weeks ago, we received a message from someone claiming to have your sister-"
Gai's eyes were widened 'My parents were dead' he thought to himself.
"-so normally, I have to check this claim. I sent your teammates to verify the story...all the facts are checked out and a DNA-test proved that she is indeed your sister. So Gai-"
Gai saw a small little girl with black-reddish hair, thick eyebrows (molded in feminine way), black eyes with thick lashes ('She definitely got the Maito eyebrows and eyelashes' thought everyone when they see her), looking up to him and asked in small voice "tō-chan?" while holding up a necklace with two potraits on the pendant; Maito Dai and a red-hair woman.
Gai walked slowly towards her and kneeled "No beautiful...I'm your nii-san and from today onwards, I'll protect you with my life" he ended with his thumb up and a wide smile "That's a promise"
Genma felt his chest swelled up, he glanced to Ebisu and asked him "Are you crying, Ebisu?"
Ebisu turned away for a moment before replying "No, I did not" a bit too quickly.
Genma grinned.
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"Her name is Mai, since it has been proven that she is your sister, I've registered her as Maito Mai...is that alright with you?" asked Minato.
Gai nodded. His hand was holding Mai, who was still holding the pendant.
"I know that this is sudden to you, so while you were adjusting, perhaps finding a suitable place, Kushina offered to take her in-" offered Minato with a smile. Kushina was in the office when Mai arrived with Ebisu and Genma; she was very much taken with Mai and it was challenging to pry Mai away from Kushina's clutch "-if it's alright with you. You are welcome to stay with us too, Gai. That way, you can learn to get to know your sister better"
Gai was thinking, the offer from Hokage was a good one, ever since his father passed away, he lived in a small studio apartment, 'not big enough for both of us' thought Gai 'so I need to find a bigger apartment. But bigger apartment means more rent...can I take care of her with my salary?'
Smoke began to appear from Gai's head.
Minato sweatdropped. He signed for one of his ANBU, kneeled down and talked to Mai "Mai, can you follow him? He will take you to Kushina-obāsan, I have to talk with your nii-san for a while, kay?"
Mai looked at him and nodded. Once she's left, Minato turned to Gai and said "We need to talk, your sister-"
The word 'sister' brought Gai back down on Earth.
"-has kekkei-genkai" finished Minato.
"Huh?"
Minato nodded towards Ebisu and Genma.
"It's true, Gai" Ebisu began his story "We were on the way to Konoha when we were waylaid by bandits; we were outnumbered, two against two dozens-"
"I thought we were going to die when suddenly, your sister shouted...the next thing we saw was steam and lava-" added Genma.
"-surrounded the bandits. They were screaming in pain. We seized the opportunity to escape with your sister-" Ebisu continued.
"-who has fallen unconscious" finished Genma.
"You guys-" said Gai as he moves towards his teammates-
'Oh ohh' thought Genma before-
-being strangled *ahem* embraced by Gai "I don't know how to say thank you"
"We are a team Gai" said Ebisu.
"Your family is our families too" said Genma
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End
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A/N: Yes, Mai share the same kekkei genkai with Mei Terumi.