Last chapter gained such a good reception, it's actually rather astounding. We broke 5,400 views and the 100 favorites mark...Looks like I'm managing to do something right.
So, I decided to write characters from Naruto The Movie: Blood Prison, because that's honestly the most back-story we've ever gotten on a minor village like Kusagakure. And that's just sad.
Shiroi is around 8 ish years older than Muku and Ryūzetsu. This chapter takes place in a span of multiple years. I ended up writing so much that it started to get close to 9k words, so I've split this in half. There should be a part two to this, next week. It'll mean less stress for me, during Finals week.
Reply to Fellow: I'm glad you liked the chapter! And whether Mei x Shiroi becomes an actual Thing...We'll see.
Mui: Visits
Most people do not visit Hōzuki Castle of their own free will. Rather, they are dragged in through the front doors, and kept locked up as new inmates. That, or they are the guards that work in the facility.
However, there are times when an occasional bounty hunter will come through. These individuals will check up on the bounty boards within the offices and lobby, or arrived to drop off a new inmate and pick up their award.
With all this in mind, Mui—the Master of the Hōzuki Castle—does not know how to feel when a young child ends up strolling into the very place most would try to avoid like the plague.
A small child of about Genin age— swathed in oversized men's clothing and a dark cloak that hides most of their features, barring their unique eyes, a blazing red like an inferno— literally drags a bound-up man twice their size and at least three times their weight, right up to the guards manning the entrance.
It is just about the strangest and most comical thing Mui has seen, ever since he has worked within Hōzuki Castle when he himself was a young greenhorn Genin.
"I am here to turn in this man. I believe he has been avoiding the hunter-nin, and imprisonment…?" the child says in a calm, flat voice. The question he poses is less a question, and more of a knowing statement.
"Did we just get bested by a kid…?" one of his co-workers whispers to another in consternation, hanging back in a far corner of the lobby.
Yes. Yes, they did.
Mui stares down at the bedraggled child, flanked by the two guards posted at the front door. There is no hitai-ate on display, but the cloak covers the child almost from head to toe, so that is no surprise.
Mui gives a gesture to the guards, and they lower their weapons, before opening the entryway. "We will give you the compensation at once," he says smoothly, keeping all emotion off his face and out of his tone, not betraying his thoughts about the young boy in front of him.
"Please, follow me."
Mui gestures for the young boy to follow him, turning his back to lead the child into the lobby. He snaps his fingers, and two of his workers scramble forwards to lug the man between them.
"Be careful of the tag," the young one says casually. "If it comes off, you'll have to deal with fighting him back down into submission."
The two workers pause, exchanging bewildered, alarmed looks between each other, before being much more careful with handling the new prisoner.
"Get him to the nearest holding cell, then," Mui orders curtly, changing direction, so that he is leading the small group into the prison proper. It only takes two minutes to lug the missing-nin inside one, and for Mui to use Fire Style: Heavenly Prison.
Mui notes the young boy perks up considerably after he does the technique. Those red eyes examine the missing-nin and Mui with curiosity and clarity that is very startling for his age.
"Fire Style…?" the cloaked child murmurs. "Interesting."
The Master waves off the two workers, and leads the child up to the office area for the payment. He's a Jonin; he's not worried about some kid, no matter if said boy managed to dispatch such a tricky opponent.
Mui barely steps foot into the office area of the castle, before two toddlers ram into his legs.
'Of course', he muses dryly to himself, in fond exasperation. 'The commotion would have drawn these two.'
"Muku, Ryūzetsu-chan," he starts, mouth twitching itself into a small grin, against his permission. "Didn't I tell you to stay in my office…?"
Attached to his legs are his dark-haired toddler son, and the pale-haired toddler daughter of Kyūzetsu, one of the wardens of Hōzuki Castle. Usually, Hōzuki Castle was not a place for children, but…Mui and Kyūzetsu did not have any other options but to bring their toddlers to work, both being single parents without means for paying babysitters.
The two children were forbidden and barred from going anywhere in the castle, other than the lobby and the offices. All the other workers tried to pitch in and keep an eye on them, herding them when able. It seems like they managed to get out of his office, and give the others the slip.
They'll be great ninjas one day with their stealth skills, and their ability of nearly giving everyone a heart attack from their recklessness and sudden disappearances.
"Tou-san, it's boring!" Muku pouts, giving his father a full dose of puppy-dog eyes. The little girl next to him also does so, following his lead.
From his peripherals, Mui notices that the cloaked boy's entire being seems to soften in the presence of the two toddlers.
That's a good sign. It shows that, despite all his skills, the cloaked boy still has compassion and humanity. A trained killer he may be, but he himself is still just a child, and wouldn't hurt innocent two-year-olds.
It makes the stern man a bit more…willing to let his charges interact with the red-eyed boy.
"Who's dis?" Ryūzetsu-chan asks suddenly, turning her pale, oddly patterned eyes towards the odd newcomer, having finally noted the boy's presence.
The red-eyed boy smiles—a soft, slight thing—and puts his hands on his knees to bend down closer to the height of the toddlers. "I'm Shiroi. I turned in a bad guy to your Tou-san. It's nice to meet you, Muku-chan, Ryūzetsu-chan."
The boy's—Shiroi's— eyes are crinkled, and his voice is patient and fond. No doubt, he has a soft spot for younger children. The probability of him being a threat to the two tots is starting to drop considerably, in the man's eyes.
The two toddlers gaped in awe at the older boy, gazes turning starry-eyed. "Weally?!" they exclaim in unison.
Shiroi-kun nods with an air of graveness. However, a faintly amused smile is still on his face when he confirms, "Really, really."
"Coooool," the two toddlers decide, bursting out into a fit of giggles. The laughter is music to Mui's ears, and he stops fighting the smile that wants to form on his face.
"I was going to give Shiroi-kun his prize for turning in the bad missing-nin. Let's get back to my office," he tells Muku and his childhood friend. The two toddlers smile excitedly, yelling 'okay!', before rushing off down the hall towards his office in a race, squealing all the while.
Mui leads Shiroi-kun down the hall, giving a hum. "So, Shiroi-kun…Care to explain how you managed to capture such an opponent…?"
"It was…Ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, fifteen percent concentrated power of will…five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain…" the boy rattles off, mouth twitching in amusement, as if telling some type of joke. Mui can't help but give a wince, because the rhyming is a bit like what the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki is said to do, in the Bingo Books.
"But mostly, it was just luck. I was underestimated," Shiroi-kun admits, giving a shrug, an air of nonchalance. It's a bit more of a straightforward answer that the Master of Hōzuki Castle can actually believe.
And it seems like the boy has little to no problems in admitting his faults. How…Oddly forthright and honest, for a ninja.
The boy is a young ninja, but seemingly has a code of honor. Whether it will last in the future, especially with the war, well…That is the question.
The two enter the large, cluttered office. Mui gestures for Shiroi-kun to sit at the only unoccupied chair the toddlers have not sequestered, placed awkwardly at the corner of the room. Once the boy sits, the two children scramble from their previous perches, as if wanting to rush over and pounce the boy, but Mui catches the two by the scruffs.
"Remember your manners," he chastises them. "Visitors may not like being pounced on."
The two toddlers pout and whine, but he gives them stern looks despite their pouting and grumbling, and they finally seat themselves back in the guest chairs. However, they don't stop smiling and staring intently at Shiroi-kun.
Mui slowly rifles through his desk, watching the three children through his lashes.
Shiroi-kun gives a slight smile back at the two young ones. "Ryūzetsu-chan, you have very unique eyes," he says casually, tapping at the space next to his own right eye.
"Wha's unique?" the little girl asks, head tilted slightly to the side.
"It means rare, or different—but in a good way," the cloak-wearing boy hums, lips twitching at the exclamations from the tots.
"Just wike yours, Aniki?" Mui's son asks.
"Nii-chan's are you-neek-er," Ryūzetsu-chan giggles, smiling wide with a pink-flushed face. "So preeeeeetty!"
"Boys not pretty! Boys hand-some!" Muku snickers, elbowing his female companion.
"Boys pretty too," the girl states, sticking her tongue out at her best friend.
Shiroi-kun looks to be biting down laughter. "Boys and girls can be whatever they want…But thank you, Muku-chan, Ryūzetsu-chan."
It doesn't take long for Mui to unseal a portion of the bounty funds—honestly, he's been going at a snail's pace, to see how well the red-eyed youth interacts with his two wards. He counts out the portion he needs to give to the young ninja. It's a rather sizeable bundle, all things considering, that he pushes across the table for the red-eyed youth.
"Here's your award," the Master of Hōzuki Castle says.
The two tots exchange pointed looks and pouts, already knowing that this is the time that most visitors will leave: once they've gotten their money.
"Will ya be back soon?" Muku asks the older boy hopefully, when he stands gracefully from his seat.
"I'm not sure," Shiroi-kun shrugs, calculating eyes roaming the office to the cork notice board behind Mui's desk. "Not unless I can get another bounty…"
Muku clasps his hands in front of him, and Ryūzetsu-chan soon follows. "Pweaaaaaase?" the two toddlers ask, turning watery puppy-dog eyes up towards the cloak-wearing boy.
The effect is rather devastating, because the boy's resolve seems to shatter almost instantly. "Maybe…Maybe soon, alright? I'll try my best."
The two toddlers brighten up instantly. "Aniki's da best!" Muku crows, while Ryūzetsu-chan squeals out, "Yay! Shiroi-nii-chan's so cool!"
Shiroi-kun's eyes widen, looking slightly panicked and uncomfortable as the two scramble off of their seats to hug at his shins. "Er…Th-thanks…?"
Mui, of course, sighs and goes over to detach the two leeches from the guest.
Even with the most burly and menacing of guests, they always seem to do this. They've become utterly desensitized to dangerous individuals, from being babysat in a high-level prison. No matter the fact that bounty hunters are usually very twitchy and have many dangerous, pointy weapons. Who know various ways to kill people.
Honestly, these two should know better.
But all things considering, Shiroi-kun is probably the youngest bounty hunter that's ever been inside Hōzuki Castle. He looks innocent enough…Even if he's probably very skilled, for becoming a bounty hunter at such a young age.
Even though that may be true, there is a…purity still within the cloak-wearing boy. A softness, despite the haunted eyes and mysterious cloak that swathes almost his entire body.
If Shiroi-kun comes back again soon, to Hōzuki Castle …Mui sees no problem with Muku and Ryūzetsu-chan interacting with the boy further.
"Sorry for that. They're both very…enthusiastic," he tells the red-eyed boy, before switching his attention to the two innocent toddlers. "Now, you two, say goodbye to Shiroi-kun. He's leaving now."
"Bye, aniki!" the two chorus, waving up at the red-eyed boy, who waves back in a halting matter. The boy quickly snatches the bounty award, shoves it in a pocket somewhere, and gives a strained smile as he slowly backs away.
Mui can't help but snort when the boy all but bolts out of his office. Completely and utterly unfazed when in front of an opponent, or the most notorious prison in the entire Elemental Nations. But two toddlers…? Apparently, Shiroi-kun is not equipped to deal with children.
Then again, Mui thought himself as equally incapable before he fell in love and had Muku…And now, here he was.
It's not a month later, the next time Shiroi-kun comes in to drop off another bounty.
Mui stares down blankly at the sight of the cloak-wearing child, and the adult they are lugging behind them. A strong sense of recognition and dejavu hits him, at the sight.
Mui orders for the bounty to be put in a holding cell, while he goes to check the Hōzuki Castle Wanted List from his office. The captured woman does not seem familiar to him, so he wants to check. Just in case he somehow let something slip from his memory, no matter how ridiculous that is.
The dark-haired Jonin rifles through the thick stack of records around his desk, but he finds only a small notice of the woman Shiroi-kun had captured.
"This woman you brought in isn't high-profiled enough to be kept here," the Master of Hōzuki Castle states, giving a pointed look at the red-eyed youth. "Do we look like an atypical bounty office to you…?" he can't help but snark.
The pale boys turns an interesting shade of pink, ducking his head and looking sheepish. "I…didn't know. I thought…" he trails off, mumbling.
The man sighs. "I suppose Hōzuki Castle could be used to give bounty awards and temporarily keep lower bounties…But then, the influx would stretch out our workers and resources."
"Hōzuki Castle was closer than Kusagakure. That's why I came here," Shiroi-kun admits, voice flat, but overall holding an air of embarrassment.
"I won't fault you for going for the closest route. This time." Mui counts out the small amount of bills from the treasury, sliding them across the desk towards the boy. "The next time, please only come with a higher-ranked bounty. The Wanted List, and the bounty boards, are in the lobby."
"Yes, sir," the boy says curtly, standing up and giving a short bow. He is at the door, opening it—and is promptly accosted by two toddlers that are doing impressive impressions of leeches.
"Aniki!" came the dual, excited squeals of said leeches.
"Ah…Hello, Muku-chan, Ryūzetsu-chan," the red-eyed boy says, voice and body stiff.
"We missed you!" Ryūzetsu-chan chirps, the same time Muku asks, "Aniki, who'dya catch?"
Shiroi-kun gives a half-grimace of a smile. "Ah…I've missed you two as well," he murmurs, hands hovering, giving a questioning looks over at Mui. As if asking for permission to touch his son.
How… Thoughtful. What an odd boy.
Mui slowly, casually moves around his desk, giving the red-eyed boy a jerk of his chin, acquiescing. The boy then slowly lays a hand on each of the toddlers' heads, ruffling their hair lightly.
"I caught a bad lady. But now I have to go," Shiroi-kun says, mouth twitching in amusement when the two toddlers whined and pleaded for him to stay. "I have to go catch more bad people. That's my job."
Mui takes pity on the boy, detaching the two toddlers from him, balancing each against a hip. The cloak-wearing child dips his head in thanks, waving at the two squirming tots, and promptly leaves.
Muku and Ryūzetsu-chan have turned three, and it's now nearing Ryūzetsu-chan's fourth birthday, in the winter. For the past year straight, Mui's two charges have asked him about their 'Shiroi-nii-chan', and "When'll Aniki come back?"
Considering the usually small attention spans and memories of young children, it is honestly a miracle that the two remember the red-eyed boy at all. Perhaps, it's because it's rare to see another child within the castle…?
Mui does not have the heart to tell them that he'd been very strict with the boy's next bounties having to be up to scratch, to be dropped off at Hōzuki Castle. Nor does the man want to bring up the possibility that perhaps the red-eyed boy is dead, because catching bounties is a dangerous job, and the war has been getting worse.
Shiroi-kun comes to Hōzuki Castle the third time, the first day of snowfall. The boy lugs an Iwa-nin behind him with grim satisfaction, up to the front gates.
Mui is quick to invite the boy inside the castle. With vindictiveness, his workers lug the Iwa-nin and throw him inside a cell, and the Master of Hōzuki Castle is swift and unforgiving in using Fire Style: Heavenly Prison.
"I'll have to make another seal, now…Worth it, for seeing that scum locked up, though," the boy muses darkly, eyes like burning flames.
"It is always worth it, if more Iwa bastards are locked up in our prison," the dark-haired man says lowly, staring coldly at the Rock ninja. "They deserve all they are given, for invading our motherland and destroying its homes."
The man lets out a low, controlled breath. Then, he turned, gesturing for Shiroi-kun to follow him. "You must be cold. I'll have tea ready, in my office."
"Thank you, sir," the boy says, nodding his head respectfully.
The two are quiet, traversing the cold, stone passages of the prison. Even when they go up to the higher levels, for the office area, the atmosphere is still rather chilly.
"We need to return Grass to its former glory," Mui starts quietly. "Grass has been the Elemental Nation's battleground for far too many wars. If we were stronger…Then we would not allow ourselves to be abused so readily."
"I can see the merit to that," Shiroi-kun admits in an undertone. "But Grass is only effective as a nation when it is neutral. The economy relies heavily on that. Logistically, Grass can never be strong enough as one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations."
The Master of Hōzuki Castle narrows his gaze, towards the younger male. "So, you are of the Grass Fruit Group, Shiroi-kun…?" he said, voice tight.
He's not sure why he had just assumed that the boy was for the Grass Flower ideology. Perhaps because he is a bounty hunter, who seemed to loathe Iwagakure ninja—a nation that seemed to constantly invade Grass, every single war.
How…Soft. Like Kyūzetsu, who has given her views to her daughter.
"I'm not joining factions, or talking internal politics with you, sir," the boy deadpans, pinning the man with an unimpressed stare. "I'm going to stay neutral on this issue. I can see merit and faults with both sides of the ideology, and thusly, have no inclination to join a set viewpoint, and make unnecessary enemies."
The boy rolls his eyes, muttering bitterly. "God knows we have enough enemies as it is, because of this damn war. A civil war or internal conflict isn't going to help matters."
Mui forces his body to relax, softening the previously stiff set of his shoulders. "How mature of you, Shiroi-kun," he notes offhandedly, voice deceptively bland, not giving away his thoughts.
"I try, Mui-san," the red-eyed boy deadpans, in return.
The two are nearing the end of the hallway, heading to the Master's office. A head of familiar white hair pops out of a nearby doorway, on the way.
"Shiroi-nii-chan!" Ryūzetsu-chan trills, tumbling out of the doorway. A few moments later, Muku scrambles out behind her, with a jubilant cry of, "Aniki's back! He's back!"
"Oof!" the red-eyed boy huffs out, when the two younger children hurtle into him. "Hello again, Ryūzetsu-chan, Muku-chan," he says softly, a slight smile on his face, as he ruffles their hair.
"Aniki, Aniki! It's been foreeeeeever since we last saw ya!" Muku whines, bouncing in place. "Where were ya?!"
"Sorry for taking so long. I was off catching more bad guys," Shiroi-kun answers. "I dropped off an Iwa-nin just now."
"Iwa's really bad!" Ryūzetsu-chan says, while her friend nods along. "Are they why you couldn't come faster?"
"…Something like that."
"Come now, children. We have to get Shiroi-kun his award, and then it's lunch time," Mui tells his two wards. For once, the two detach themselves from the boy, from their own volition.
"Will you stay, Aniki?" his son asks, turning puppy-dog eyes up towards the cloak-wearing boy.
"You must be cold and hungry from your trip. I insist you stay for lunch, at the very least," the dark-haired man says, giving a pointed look down at the red-eyed boy. The boy is alarmingly thin and pale, so a break and lunch would only do him a world of good.
It takes a bit more cajoling from the two young ones, before Shiroi-kun's resolve crumbles, and he readily agrees to stay for lunch.
"How much is lunch…?" the boy asks as he puts away his bounty award, when they leave the Master's office.
"It's only basic canteen food. Just two hundred ryo for it," the man lies. The canteen food costs much more than that sum, but he feels…well, somewhat guilty if he forces the boy to use his hard-earned money so quickly.
A bounty hunter only has enough money that they can make, after all. It's not a very stable way of life. Much less for a growing young boy.
Shiroi-kun is not one for chatting, but somehow, Muku and Ryūzetsu-chan manage to get the story out of him, on how he caught the Iwa-nin. The boy is very vague—no doubt because he does not want to inform anyone of his skills—but the two young ones are still rather enraptured by the tale.
It is more telling, all the things the boy does not say, than what he actually admits to doing. A young boy should not be so secretive…
Is this a byproduct of war? Will the cloak-wearing boy always be this paranoid, even in safety, amongst friends…?
Shiroi-kun does let slip, however, that he is Fire natured. Muku and Ryūzetsu-chan both leap up from their seats, jumping about and pleading for him to show them a 'cool fire jutsu'. The boy leans back, cringing from their loud voices, enthusiasm, and the request itself.
"He can't show you a jutsu in the canteen, Muku, Ryūzetsu-chan," the man scolds them. "It's dangerous."
Shiroi-kun stands, looking ready to bolt from the room, but the two young ones are quick to latch themselves onto his limbs. "Pleaaaaaase, Aniki?" they plead in unison.
The boy turns a wide-eyed, panicked look towards Mui. "Help," he even mouths.
Mui takes pity on the boy, and makes the two young ones leave the boy alone.
"Sorry, Muku-chan, Ryūzetsu-chan," Shiroi-kun tells them, voice strained, a grimace on his face. "Maybe next time."
He flees, before the two younger children can badger him further.
By some miracle, Shiroi-kun keeps returning every few months to Hōzuki Castle. Some visits come much later than others, but the boy always returns.
The red-eyed boy gets taller, and his walls always seem to chip away just a bit more. He entertains Muku and Ryūzetsu-chan with little ninja tricks, or vague stories of his travels and opponents.
Muku and his friend even manage to yank the boy's hood down, curious of how the boy really looked like.
Pale skin, with soft features. Short, choppy, hair that was as white as snow.
Shiroi-kun frowned, light eyebrows furrowing. "What was that for?" he mutters, pulling the hood back up on his head.
"You look like Ryū-chan!" Muku exclaims, gaping up at the boy. Ryūzetsu-chan, meanwhile, stared up at the young ninja in awe.
"I guess we sort of do, huh…? With the hair," the preteen hums, ruffling the young girl's long, white locks. "I've never had relatives, though. And Ryūzetsu-chan has different eyes."
"Shiroi-nii-chan is more my Aniki than yours," the little girl taunts her friend, with a grin, after a few seconds of silence.
Muku promptly pouts. "Nuh-uh!" he retorts. "Aniki is still my aniki, 'cuz he's a boy!"
"That doesn't make any sense!" Ryūzetsu-chan giggles, shoving her friend.
"It totally makes sense, Ryū-chan!"
With a wry grin, Shiroi-kun does the recognizable hand signs for the Henge jutsu, and turns into an boy that looks like a teenaged Muku.
"Uwah…!"
"Aniki used a Henge!"
The two young ones turned to each other, with wide grins. "Cooooool!" they exclaimed in unison.
At some point, Shiroi-kun even comes wearing a new cloak, because the boy is just growing like a weed.
The visits start to last longer, as well, as the months go by. Sometimes, Shiroi-kun will stay for the evening, teaching Muku and Ryūzetsu-chan about chakra or safety when it comes to handling weapons. When badgered, Mui will take the three children out to eat ramen, at the nearest ramen stand.
A few times—when the boy comes during the bone-chill of winter—he stays for a day or two.
"I don't have an actual home to go back to," Shiroi-kun admitted casually, one evening, while drinking tea in Mui's office. The two young ones were sitting on the floor, doing chakra exercises the boy recommended.
"No home…?" Muku asked, startled from his previous task of making his hand glow blue.
The red-eyed boy hummed. "Destroyed by Iwa-nin, a few years back," he admits bluntly, taking a sip of his tea.
The boy, of course, gave no more details aside from that tidbit. But, when he was readying himself to leave, the two young ones attached themselves to him.
"Don't go!" "Stay with us!"
"This can be your home…" Muku says quietly, burying his face into the teen's stomach.
The atmosphere turns quiet and tense. Shiroi-kun's face turns blank and icy. Dead.
"…So, you think I'll become a criminal, to live here in Hōzuki Castle, Muku-chan?" the teen speaks up, in exaggerated confusion, after the awkward silence. "Ah, should I feel offended about this, or…?"
"Muku-chan, you've got no tact!" Ryūzetsu-chan says, swatting his arm, and rolling her pale eyes in exaggeration.
"Geeze, I didn't mean it like that!" his son squawks defensively, with a pout. "And call me Muku-kun! Muku-kun!"
"I'm afraid you'll always be Muku-chan to me," the red-eyed boy says wryly, ruffling the younger boy's hair, despite his spluttering protests and the pale girl's giggling. "Just like Ryūzetsu-chan will always be Ryūzetsu-chan."
That very meeting—when Muku and Ryūzetsu-chan were six years old—was the last time Shiroi-kun visited Hōzuki Castle for the next few years. Not long after, Mui's son, and Kyūzetsu's daughter, entered Kusagakure's ninja academy.
