1 Chapter 1
In Konohagakure-
In a Konoha orphanage, there lay Menma, a boy no older than four years old, soundly sleeping beside his identical twin, Naruto, with the exception of their contrasting hair colors. Menma suddenly woke up with a jolt, his eyes shooting open as he scanned the room, slowly adjusting to the light.
It was barely large enough to fit a twin-sized bed, with just enough room for a small nightstand beside it. The walls were a faded yellow, peeling in some places, and covered in a thin layer of dust.
The only window in the room was situated beside the bed, with a torn and tattered curtain that let in a feeble trickle of light. The window itself was grimy and caked in dirt, making it difficult to see out of.
In one corner of the room, there was a dusty, old wooden shelf that looked like it had seen better days. It was covered in cobwebs and had just one book sitting on it, which looked like it had been read many times over.
The wooden floorboards were dirty and scuffed, with deep grooves and scratches that looked like they had been there for years. Despite the dirt and wear, the floor was surprisingly sturdy and well-kept, considering the condition of the rest of the room.
The top corners of the room were occupied by cobwebs and spiders, with their intricate webs woven between the rafters. The spiders themselves scurried away as soon as anyone entered the room, leaving behind their ghostly webs as a reminder of their presence.
The oak door to the room was surprisingly well-kept, considering the condition of the rest of the room. It was sturdy and strong, with a polished brass knob that shone dimly in the dim light. The door had been painted a dark brown color, which contrasted with the pale yellow walls of the room.
Menma sat up, the bed creaking with each movement. He glanced over his brother's sleeping figure as a phantom smile graced his face.
The smile disappeared completely as he heard slow and heavy footsteps approaching his room door. The footsteps soon stopped just infront of his room door and a loud yell was heard from the other side, "Time for breakfast demon brats!" The female voice bellowed.
Menma's eyes narrowed slightly at the word "demon"
He slowly got up from the bed, stretching his arms as he did so. He knew it was time to get up and face the day, even though he dreaded the thought of another day in the orphanage.
He looked over at Naruto, who was still sound asleep, and gently nudged him. "Naruto, wake up," he whispered softly.
Naruto stirred in his sleep, his eyes slowly fluttering open. "Morning, Menma," he yawned, rubbing his eyes.
Menma nodded in response, "Morning, Naruto. Let's get ready for breakfast," he said as he got off the bed and started to make his way to the door.
Naruto got up and followed Menma, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. They both knew what was waiting for them outside their room - the harsh words and taunts from the other children, and the meager breakfast that was barely enough to quell their hunger.
As they stepped out of their room, they were met with the usual sneers and insults from the other children in the orphanage. Menma gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, trying to ignore the taunts and insults as he made his way towards the dining hall.
They both sat down at a small table in the corner of the room, trying to avoid the other children as much as possible. The breakfast that was served was a meager portion of oatmeal, with a small cup of water on the side.
Menma looked down at the small bowl of oatmeal, feeling his stomach rumble with hunger. He knew it wouldn't be enough to satisfy his hunger, but it was all they had.
Naruto started to eat his oatmeal quietly, but Menma couldn't bring himself to take a single bite. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the villagers outside the orphanage, who always seemed to hate them no matter what they did.
Menma clenched his fists tightly, feeling a surge of anger and frustration wash over him. He knew he couldn't change the way the villagers felt about them, but he couldn't help feeling angry and resentful towards them.
As he looked up from his bowl, he noticed a group of children staring at him and Naruto with sneers on their faces. Menma could feel his anger boiling inside of him as he stood up from his seat.
"What are you looking at?" he growled, his eyes blazing with fury.
The children looked taken aback by his sudden outburst, but they quickly regained their composure and started to sneer and taunt him once again.
"What're you gonna do about it?" One of the children asked mockingly, Menma felt his anger and frustration reach a boiling point as he lunged towards them, ready to fight.But before he could even take a step, he was held back by a pair of strong arms.
When Menma looked up, locking eyes with the caretaker who had prevented him from attacking the other children. The caretaker shot him a stern look, which Menma returned with a glare of his own. He shrugged off the caretaker's grip and sat back down at the table, wearing a scowl on his face.
The caretaker sighed and shook their head before walking away. Menma's anger slowly dissipated as he realized that he wouldn't be able to change anything by fighting with the other children.
He looked over at Naruto, who was still eating his oatmeal quietly. Menma knew that he had to be strong for his brother, and that he couldn't let his anger get the best of him.
"Sorry, Naruto," Menma said softly, feeling guilty for causing a scene.
"It's okay, Menma," Naruto replied, giving him a small smile. "Let's just finish our breakfast and go outside."
Menma nodded in agreement, and they both continued to eat their oatmeal in silence.
