Jiraiya, held Tsuki's hand as they walked through the stormy night. The wind howled, and rain lashed against their faces, but Tsuki felt a strange sense of peace amidst the chaos.
"Oh, and by the way," Jiraiya's voice broke through the silence, "what's your name?"
"Tsuki," the boy replied softly.
"You can call me Jiraiya-sensei."
A flicker of hope sparked in Tsuki's eyes. A sensei meant guidance, training... a future beyond the confines of the orphanage.
"Jiraiya-sensei," Tsuki ventured hesitantly, "is Naruto coming with us?"
A pang of sadness pierced Jiraiya's heart. "I don't know where he is right now," he admitted, "but if we find him on the way, I'll be glad to invite him along. If that's what makes you feel better."
Tsuki's face brightened. "It would," he said, a shy smile tugging at his lips.
They continued their walk, the rhythmic patter of their footsteps a comforting counterpoint to the storm's fury. Soon, they arrived at a small ramen shop, its warm glow beckoning them from the darkness.
Inside, Tsuki spotted a familiar figure hunched over a steaming bowl of noodles.
"Naruto!" he exclaimed, rushing towards his friend.
Naruto looked up, his face smeared with broth. "Hey, who's that old man with you?"
Jiraiya bristled. "Who do you think you're calling old?!"
Tsuki and Naruto exchanged amused glances, their shared laughter a brief respite from the harsh realities of their lives.
"One miso ramen, please," Naruto ordered, his enthusiasm undimmed.
"And one for him too," Jiraiya added, gesturing towards Tsuki. "You're gonna love this. It's the greatest ramen I've ever had. The best food in the world!"
Tsuki took a seat beside Naruto, his stomach rumbling in anticipation. A wave of nostalgia washed over him. He and Naruto had often shared meals like this, their meager portions a stark reminder of their shared hardship and the orphanage's limited resources.
"Hey," Naruto said, slurping his noodles, "what's up with your eyes? I saw them the other day, and I've been meaning to ask."
Tsuki fidgeted, unsure how to respond. He tugged on Jiraiya's sleeve, seeking guidance.
"Well, to put it simply," Jiraiya explained, "you have special eyes, Tsuki. Your eyes are something most people consider a myth. The Sage of Six Paths had those same eyes. That's why I'm here to train you. I'll help you use your eyes without hurting anyone you care about."
Tsuki nodded slowly, his mind reeling. He had always known he was different, but he had never imagined the extent of his uniqueness.
Just then, the old man behind the counter placed two steaming bowls of ramen before them. The fragrant aroma filled the air, momentarily distracting Tsuki from his thoughts.
Tsuki clumsily maneuvered his chopsticks, lifting a tangle of noodles towards his face. He sniffed cautiously, then took a tentative bite. His eyes widened in surprise, and a delighted grin spread across his face.
"It's so good!"
He devoured the bowl of ramen in record time, savoring every slurp. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted before - a symphony of flavors that danced on his tongue.
Naruto and Jiraiya chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Glad you like it!" Jiraiya said, ruffling Tsuki's hair.
With their bellies full and their spirits lifted, the trio made their way back to the orphanage. Tsuki, feeling pleasantly stuffed, clutched his stomach as he walked.
"Naruto," he said, "come help me pack my things."
Naruto nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Sure thing, Tsuki!"
As they approached the orphanage, Tsuki couldn't help but notice the hostile stares directed their way. The other children glared at him with undisguised animosity, their eyes cold and unforgiving.
'Why is everyone looking at me like that?' Tsuki wondered, his heart sinking. 'Is this how you feel, Naruto?'
He lowered his head, a wave of shame washing over him. He had always been an outsider, his quiet nature and unusual eyes setting him apart from the other children. But now, after his outburst of power, their fear had turned into outright hatred.
Naruto sensed Tsuki's discomfort and draped an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry about them, Tsuki," he said with a reassuring smile.
But Tsuki couldn't shake the feeling of isolation. Even with Naruto by his side, he felt the weight of their collective disapproval bearing down on him.
They entered their shared room, a small, cramped space that had been their sanctuary for the past three years. Tsuki began gathering his few belongings, his movements slow and deliberate.
"It's not here," Tsuki suddenly exclaimed, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"What's not here?" Naruto asked, his voice muffled by the clothes he was sorting.
"My blanket and glove! They're gone!"
Tsuki's heart skipped a beat. He frantically searched every corner of the room, his panic growing with each passing moment.
"Someone took it," he whispered, his voice trembling.
He ran out of the room, his bare feet slapping against the cold floor. Jiraiya was talking to Yuna in the hallway.
"Yuna-sama," Tsuki cried, tugging on her sleeve, "have you seen my blanket?"
The matron turned around, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear. Tsuki, consumed by his own distress, didn't notice her reaction.
"Tsuki!" Naruto and Jiraiya rushed to his side, their faces etched with concern.
"What happened here?!" Jiraiya demanded, his voice laced with fury as he cradled Tsuki in his arms.
Tsuki's skin was red and blistered, tears mingling with blood as he frantically clutched at his eyes.
"Why? Why did she do that to me?" he whimpered, his voice choked with pain and confusion.
"Naruto, hurry and get some cold water, now!" Jiraiya barked.
Naruto sprinted off, his young heart pounding with fear for his friend.
"Hey, don't touch your eyes," Jiraiya said gently, carefully pulling Tsuki's hands away from his face.
"Jiraiya-sensei, it hurts!" Tsuki cried, his body wracked with sobs.
"I know, I know," Jiraiya soothed, carefully flushing Tsuki's eyes with cool water. "Just hold on, it will get better." He turned to Yuna, his expression hardening. "Why did you do this?!"
Yuna stammered, her voice trembling. "I-I didn't see him. He startled me, and I poured the water… It all happened so fast. I didn't have time to react."
Jiraiya's frown deepened. 'Just as I thought,' he realized with a pang of anger. 'They treat him and Naruto like pariahs. Sarutobi-sensei, how could you allow this to happen?'
After several minutes of careful cleansing, Jiraiya gently patched Tsuki's eyes and covered them with a clean eye patch.
"What were you doing here in the first place?" he asked, his voice softening.
"I wanted to ask Yuna-sama if she had seen my blanket and glove," Tsuki replied, his voice barely a whisper. "They're the only things my parents left for me."
"Find his blanket," Jiraiya instructed Yuna, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Yuna nodded, her face etched with shame.
'It appears my search for Orochimaru will have to be put on hold,' Jiraiya thought grimly. 'At least until I'm sure these kids will be fine, whenever that may be. But I'll make it quick.'
Yuna returned moments later, her hands clutching the remnants of Tsuki's cherished possessions. The once-soft blanket was torn and stained with mud. The black leather glove was equally soiled, its index finger crudely severed.
"One of the children got their hands on it," Yuna explained, her voice barely audible. "They tore it and left it in the mud."
Jiraiya accepted the tattered items, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He knew this was more than just a childish prank. It was a cruel act of malice, a reflection of the deep-seated prejudice that festered within the orphanage walls.
Tsuki clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm. "Damn it!" he hissed, his voice thick with suppressed rage.
Naruto squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Hey, we'll fix it. Don't worry."
Tsuki looked up at his friend, his Rinnegan eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Aren't you afraid of me?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Naruto shook his head, his expression unwavering. "You're my friend, creepy eyes or not."
'I hate it here. I hate them,' Tsuki thought, his anger giving way to a profound sadness.
He unclenched his fist, and tears began to flow freely down his cheeks. He hated crying, but he couldn't hold them back any longer. The pain of betrayal, the loss of his precious belongings, the constant ostracization - it all came crashing down on him like a tidal wave.
"Let's go," Jiraiya said gently, taking both Tsuki and Naruto by the hand.
They left the orphanage behind, the oppressive atmosphere lifting with each step.
"Where are we going, Jiraiya-sensei?" Tsuki asked, his voice muffled by his tears.
"We're going to your new home," Jiraiya replied. "Apparently, Sarutobi-sensei has already arranged an apartment for you. Although, technically, it's Naruto's."
After a short walk, they arrived at a modest apartment building. Jiraiya unlocked the door to a small, one-room unit.
"So, this is where we live now?" Naruto asked, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
Jiraiya nodded. "It's where you two will live. Luckily, I won't be staying here for long. I have an important mission. But don't worry, I'll stay until I find a suitable caretaker for you. And I'll leave you a check to cover your expenses."
Tsuki and Naruto exchanged worried glances.
"Aren't you afraid that I'll hurt someone?" Tsuki asked, his voice barely above a whisper. After what had happened at the orphanage, it was a valid concern.
Jiraiya shook his head. "I trust you with my life, Tsuki. And I'll train you to control your eyes when I come back."
Tsuki nodded, a glimmer of hope returning to his eyes.
"Anyway," Jiraiya clapped his hands together, "you two have a long day tomorrow. Get some sleep."
"And what about you, Jiraiya-sensei?" Tsuki inquired.
A mischievous grin spread across Jiraiya's face. "I'm going out to have some fun!"
With a puff of smoke, he vanished, leaving Tsuki and Naruto alone in their new home.
They prepared for bed, sharing the single mattress. Jiraiya, ever the frugal sensei, had refused to spend his own money on another one. Tsuki couldn't help but chuckle at his teacher's miserly ways.
Tsuki tossed and turned, unable to find solace in sleep. His mind replayed the day's events, each memory a sharp sting to his heart.
'Yuna-sama is afraid of me. Even Hokage-sama fears me. And when we were walking with Jiraiya-sensei, I could feel all those people staring at me. Is this how you feel, Naruto?'
He turned to face his friend, who lay awake beside him, staring at the ceiling.
"You can't sleep either?" Naruto asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"No," Tsuki admitted, his voice thick with emotion. "All those people… they all turned against me in an instant as soon as I got these eyes. I wish I didn't have them." He reached up, his fingers brushing against the eye patch.
Naruto sighed, his gaze distant. "At least you know the reason you're hated. All I do is breathe, and everyone looks at me with those eyes… Like they want to kill me or something."
Tsuki's heart ached for his friend. He knew the pain of isolation, of being shunned for something beyond his control.
"Well…" he began hesitantly, "that doesn't matter to me. You're my friend, Naruto. I don't care if people call you a monster or if your parents caused trouble in the village. Nothing will change the fact that you're my best friend."
A genuine smile spread across Naruto's face. "You're so weird, you know?"
Tsuki chuckled softly. "You're weird too, Naruto."
In that shared moment of understanding, amidst the darkness and uncertainty, their bond deepened. They were two outcasts, united by their loneliness and their shared desire for acceptance. And in that small, cramped apartment, they found solace in each other's company, a beacon of hope in a world that had often been cruel and unforgiving.
The next morning…
"Tsuki, wake up!" Naruto's voice jolted Tsuki from his sleep.
He groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Why did you wake me up so early?" he mumbled, his voice still thick with sleep.
"Jiraiya-sensei wants to meet us at the training ground," Naruto explained, already bouncing with energy.
Tsuki quickly dressed and splashed cold water on his face, the shock helping to clear his foggy mind. "Let's go!"
The two boys hurried out of the apartment and towards the training grounds, their footsteps echoing through the quiet streets. Tsuki, still adjusting to his limited vision, stumbled slightly as he navigated the unfamiliar terrain.
"Ugh!"
He bumped into someone, his shoulder colliding with theirs.
'I'm still not used to using one eye…'
He looked up to apologize and found himself staring into the dark, piercing eyes of a young boy with long, raven hair.
The boy frowned. "Hey, watch where you're going!"
Tsuki flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry," he mumbled, nervously scratching the back of his head. "I just have an injury in my eye."
"It's not a problem," a deeper voice interjected, smooth and reassuring. "But be careful next time."
Tsuki looked up and saw a tall man with long, dark hair tied back in a low ponytail. His presence exuded an air of quiet strength and authority.
The young boy's curiosity was piqued. "Hmm? What's wrong with your eyes?"
Tsuki instinctively covered his eye patch with his hair. "N-nothing…"
"Hey! Leave him alone!" Naruto barked, stepping protectively in front of his friend.
The boy scoffed. "I was just asking. Why did you have to get all mad? You're being such a loser."
The older man narrowed his eyes, observing Tsuki intently. 'That child… those are the Rinnegan. How did he come to possess such powerful eyes?'
"Sasuke," he said, his voice firm, "let's go home." He scooped the boy up before Tsuki could respond.
"Sasuke…" Tsuki echoed the name, committing it to memory.
Their gazes locked for a fleeting moment, a silent exchange of curiosity and defiance. Then, the man turned and walked away, Sasuke's small hand waving a reluctant goodbye.
"Come on, we're wasting time!" Naruto tugged on Tsuki's arm, pulling him in the opposite direction.
Tsuki and Naruto finally arrived at the training ground, their breaths coming in short gasps from the exertion. Jiraiya stood in conversation with a man clad in a distinctive grey uniform and gear, his back turned towards them.
"What took you guys so long?" Jiraiya inquired, turning to greet them with a playful grin.
"I bumped into some people on the way here," Tsuki explained, his voice still slightly breathless. "I haven't gotten used to seeing with one eye yet."
Naruto, ever curious, pointed towards the stranger. "Jiraiya-sensei, who's that guy over there?"
Jiraiya's expression turned serious. "He's the reason I called you two here. You see, I can't be here all the time, so he'll take care of you while I'm gone. Don't worry, I've given him a scroll with everything I know about the Rinnegan."
The man in the grey uniform approached them, his footsteps silent and deliberate. He removed his mask, revealing a face framed by spiky silver hair and a headband that obscured one of his eyes. His jawline was sharp, his expression stoic.
'So that's the Rinnegan,' Kakashi thought, his visible eye widening slightly as he took in Tsuki's unique dojutsu. 'I already have a bad feeling about this. Why did I let you drag me into this, Jiraiya-sensei?'
"I'm Kakashi Hatake," he introduced himself, his voice gruff but not unkind. "Nice to meet you."
He extended a hand towards Tsuki, who hesitantly accepted it, their handshake firm and brief. Naruto followed suit, his grin wide and infectious.
"Well," Jiraiya announced, clapping his hands together, "I'd better get going now. See you next time we meet. And don't disturb Kakashi too much; he gets moody a lot." With a final wave, he performed a hand seal and vanished in a puff of smoke.
Naruto turned to Kakashi, his stomach rumbling audibly. "Can we go for some ramen?"
Kakashi sighed, a hint of amusement in his eye. "Sure," he relented, "but only if you promise to behave yourselves."
(Edited on 12/9/24)