Chapter 1: Kindred Beginnings
Note - I do not own Naruto and Jujutsu Kaisen, Masashi Kishimoto and Gege Akutami do.
Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves, was a place of countless tales and legends. Among them, one stood out as the most tragic and heroic—the night of the Nine-Tails attack. That fateful event left behind many scars, but also many seeds of hope. Two of those seeds were Naruto Uzumaki and Mai Senju, two orphans who found solace and strength in each other.
Naruto was a boy with a secret that went beyond his bright blue eyes which carried power, insane amount of power that even led some people to faint when they looked into his eyes. Inside him, there was a power that slept like a dormant volcano, waiting for the right moment to erupt. A power that was both a curse and a blessing, a legacy and a burden. A power that made him the target of hatred and fear from the ignorant villagers. But Naruto never gave up on his dream of being accepted and respected. His laughter was his weapon, his smile was his shield, and his spirit was his fire.
Mai was a girl with a past that haunted her like a shadow. Her green eyes, the same color as the leaves, hid a sorrow that ran deep in her veins. She had lost everything. Even though everyone told her how great her clan, her ancestors were, no one was left alive except her Aunt Tsunade who had left the village long before her birth. This was the reason she lived in the orphanage. She had only one thing left—her healing touch, a gift that could mend wounds and soothe pain. A gift that drew her to Naruto.
It started on a sunny day, when Naruto tripped and fell on the playground, scraping his knee. The other kids laughed at him, but Mai rushed to his side, offering her hand and her healing. Naruto looked at her with gratitude and curiosity, sensing something special about her. That was the beginning of their friendship.
As they walked back to the orphanage, Naruto asked her, "Hey, what's your name?"
"Mai," she said, smiling. "Mai Senju."
"Senju? Like the First Hokage?" Naruto asked, his eyes widening.
Mai nodded, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Yeah, he was my great-grandfather. But I never met him. He died before I was born."
"Wow, that's so cool! You must be really strong, then!" Naruto exclaimed, admiring her.
Mai shook her head, her smile fading. "No, not really. I don't have any special abilities, like he did. I can only heal people, and that's not very useful in a fight."
Naruto frowned, disagreeing with her. "That's not true! Healing is very important! You saved me from bleeding, and that was awesome! And I'm sure you can do other things, too. You just need to believe in yourself, and train hard, like I do!"
Mai looked at him, surprised by his words. She saw the determination and optimism in his eyes, and felt a warmth in her heart. She wondered what his story was, what his dream was, and why he was so different from the other kids. She decided to ask him, hoping to get to know him better.
"What about you? What's your name?" she asked.
"Naruto," he said, grinning. "Naruto Uzumaki."
"Uzumaki? I've never heard of that clan before. Where are they from?" Mai asked, curious.
Naruto shrugged, his grin fading. "I don't know. I don't have any family. I've been alone since I was a baby."
Mai gasped, feeling a pang of sympathy for him. As another orphan she felt kinship from the boy.
"That's terrible! I'm so sorry, Naruto. How did that happen?" she asked, gently.
Naruto looked away, his eyes darkening. "I don't know. Nobody ever tells me anything. They just hate me, and ignore me, and treat me like dirt. They say I'm a monster, a demon, a curse. They say I'm the reason why the Nine-Tails attacked the village, and why the Fourth Hokage died."
Mai felt a surge of anger and disbelief. She couldn't believe that the villagers would say such horrible things to a child, to blame him for something he had no control over, to make him suffer for something he didn't do.
"That's not true, Naruto. You're not a monster. You….. You are my friend. You are kind and gentle. You are Naruto Uzumaki." Mai said, her voice firm and sincere.
Naruto looked at her, his eyes widening. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had never heard anyone say such nice things to him, to praise him, no one ever called him their friend, to believe in him. He felt a warmth in his chest, and a tear in his eye. He smiled, a genuine smile, and thanked her.
"Thank you, Mai. You're the best. You're my first friend." he said, his voice soft and grateful.
Mai smiled back, and hugged him. "You're welcome, Naruto. You're my first friend, too." she said, her voice warm and happy.
As time passed, they grew closer, sharing their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows, their dreams and nightmares. They trained together in the courtyard, honing their skills and talents, preparing for the day when they would become shinobi. Naruto had a goal in mind, a vision that fueled his determination. He wanted to be the Hokage, the leader of the village, the one who would protect and inspire everyone. He wanted to prove his worth, to show his true self, to unleash his hidden potential.
One day, as they were practicing their taijutsu, Mai asked him, "Naruto, why do you want to be the Hokage?"
Naruto stopped, and looked at her. He thought for a moment, and then answered, "Because I want to be recognized. I want to be respected. I want to be loved. I want to be someone who matters. I want to be someone who can make a difference. I want to be someone who can bring peace and happiness to the world. I want to be someone like the Fourth Hokage."
Mai nodded, understanding his feelings. She knew how much he admired the Fourth Hokage, the hero who sacrificed his life to seal the Nine-Tails inside Naruto, and the father he never knew. She knew how much he wanted to follow his footsteps, and to surpass him. She knew how much he wanted to be the Hokage, and she wanted to support him.
"I think you can do it, Naruto. I think you have what it takes to be the Hokage. You have the courage, the will, the spirit, the power. You have everything you need, Naruto. You just need to believe in yourself, and never give up." Mai said, her voice full of admiration and affection.
Naruto smiled, and hugged her. He felt a surge of confidence and gratitude. He knew she was right. He knew he had what it took to be the Hokage. He knew he had everything he needed, Naruto. He just needed to believe in himself, and never give up. And he knew he had her, his best friend, his partner, his support. He knew he had Mai, the one who always stood by him, the one who always healed him, the one who always believed in him. He knew he had Mai, the one who was his everything.
"Thank you, Mai. You're the best." he said, his voice full of sincerity and gratitude.
Mai smiled, she felt a surge of happiness and devotion. She knew he meant it. She knew he appreciated her. She knew he trusted her.
"You're welcome, Naruto. You're my best friend after all." she said, her voice full of warmth and joy.
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a distinguished guest. The Third Hokage, the current leader of the village, the wise and benevolent old man, came to visit them.
The Third Hokage smiled, and said, "Naruto, Mai, I'm glad to see you two are doing well. You have been working hard, and I'm proud of you. You have shown great potential, and I have high hopes for you. As a reward for your efforts, I have a surprise for you. Follow me."
Naruto and Mai looked at each other, and then at the Hokage, who winked at them. They had a hunch, and they hoped they were right. They said in unison, "Ichiraku Ramen?"
The Hokage nodded, and said, "That's right. Ichiraku Ramen, you two love to eat their don't you? And today, it's on me. Come on, let's go."
They followed him to the ramen shop, where the owner, Teuchi, and his daughter, Ayame, welcomed them with enthusiasm. They recognized Naruto and Mai, who were regular customers, and greeted them by name. They also recognized the Hokage and Iruka, who were occasional visitors, and greeted them with respect. They prepared a large table for them, and took their orders.
Naruto and Mai both ordered their favorite ramen, with extra naruto and char siu. The Hokage ordered the same, but with less toppings. Teuchi and Ayame quickly served them their bowls, and they all dug in.
"This is as good as the last time!" Mai exclaimed, sipping her broth.
"I know, right? Ramen is the food of Gods!" Naruto agreed, slurping his noodles.
"I'm glad you like it, kids. You deserve it, after all your hard work." The Hokage said, smiling.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama. You're very kind." Mai said, bowing her head.
"Yeah, thanks, old man. You're awesome." Naruto said, grinning.
The Hokage chuckled, and ruffled their hair. "You're welcome, Naruto, Mai. You're awesome too. You have a lot of potential, and I'm sure you'll become great shinobi someday."
"Really?" Naruto asked, his eyes shining.
"Really." The Hokage confirmed.
"Wow, that's so cool. I want to be the Hokage, just like you." Naruto declared.
The Hokage laughed, and said, "Well, that's a noble goal, Naruto. But it's not easy, you know. You'll have to work hard, and face many challenges and dangers. You'll have to protect the village, and the people you care about. You'll have to make tough decisions, and bear heavy responsibilities. You'll have to be strong, and brave, and wise. Do you think you can do that?"
Naruto nodded, and said, "Yes, I can. I'll do anything to be the Hokage. I'll never give up, no matter what. I'll prove myself to everyone, and make you proud, old man."
The Hokage smiled, and said, "I'm sure you will, Naruto. I'm already proud of you. And I'll always support you, no matter what. You can count on me, Naruto."
Naruto smiled, and said, "Thank you, old man. You're the best."
Mai watched the exchange, and felt a warm feeling in her chest. She admired Naruto's determination, and his vision.
She reached out, and held his hand. Naruto looked at her, and smiled. She smiled back, and squeezed his hand. They felt a connection, a bond, a promise.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading my fanfiction. I hope you enjoyed it, and found it creative and interesting. I would really appreciate your feedback, and your support. Please leave a review. Thank you.
P.S. - The real reason Mai and Naruto are living in the orphanage up until this point is because it is monitored by A.N.B.U.. With Mai being the last senju(in the leaf village) and naruto being the Jinchūriki it is very obvious that they should have some amount of security, the Hyuuga incident is a big reason for me to think that they have some amount of security. But they would be moving the regular apartments soon enough.
See Ya next week
UV out.