My Brother's a Jinchūriki! EXTRAS

The Little Star and the Golden Serpent Part One

((This is canon for MBAJ))

Many, many years before the establishment of the Shinobi world:

Marichi hummed quietly to herself as she absentmindedly examined one of the small stone fossils of her collection and looking at the drawing she had some of what the alien creature might have looked like in life. The small sound of a crack interrupted her and she turned with wide eyes and an even wider smile toward the golden-hued egg beneath the glow of the warm light. A large crack had appeared on its gilded surface and she watched in anticipation as the crack spread. After some time, a portion of the shell stuck out, as if a tiny creature were desperately pushing its way out. She watched until finally, the shell was broken through and the creature slowly emerged. Her eyes widened and she squealed under her breath, staring in awe.

 "It hatched! It really hatched!"She gently scooped it into her hands, holding it up to examine it. "Aren't you pretty? You're the same color as gold."She stroked down the gilded scales and giggled. "I'll name you... Kin! That's a good name, right?"Getting no reply, she straightened and turned toward the door. "I must show Papa what hatched from the egg he gave me! He'll be so pleased to meet you, Kin!"

She hurried through the halls, careful as she held her newly hatched prize in her hands, and navigated through the large halls of the palace. Though mostly empty, those she did pass sent a disapproving look her way, as the unseemly girl ran in her bare feet and wore the same dress as the day prior. A shame, they said to one another, as her mother was known to be the beauty of their clan, with all of the brilliance of a comet aflame. But what a shame that her daughter did not have her refinement or her elegance. Perhaps it was caused by her father's spoiling, they muttered. Perhaps.

Marichi continued to run until she came to a central hall with ceilings high, elegant columns, and imposing statues of leaders past. 

She broke into a wide smile, seeing a pair of familiar figures speaking to one another at the base of one statue. "Papa!"

Momoshiki scowled at the interruption that echoed in the hall, keeping his back to the child as she started toward him. "That noisy thing has found me yet again." 

"She is your legacy." The tall man whose face was partially obscured said. 

"Legacy." Momoshiki scoffed. "What a pity she did not take after Oyūki more, ugly little thing."

 "She is young." 

"She is irritating." 

"Papa!" Marichi caught up to him, catching her breath briefly, still smiling. "Hi Papa! You're back! And Kinshiki, too!" She smiled at the elder Otsutsuki, who looked down at her and nodded slightly. The girl turned her attention back to her father and tugged on the back of his shirt. "Papa, there's something I want to show you!" 

Momoshiki's eye twitched slightly, though he forced his sneer away as he turned to look at the small child. She had his eyes, but the resemblance ended there. Perhaps one day, she really would be as lovely as her mother, though it was unlikely, as the child before him was also a disappointment without anything remarkable about her. 

"Oh?" Momoshiki raised his brow, his gaze turning to the hands of hers that she clasped together. "What is it?" 

"Remember that egg you brought me back, Papa?" 

"Egg?" He repeated and then answered. "Of course. The tiny golden thing on that altar in the pitiful little temple I destroyed." His lips curved into a smirk as he chuckled, and then he looked down at her. "Well?" 

"I've been caring for it just as you said, Papa, and it hatched just now!" She opened her hands to reveal the tiny golden reptile. "Isn't he lovely, Papa?! He's the same color as his egg was." 

"A serpent?" Momoshiki frowned slightly. "I would have preferred something more... fearsome."

 "His name is Kin!" Marichi giggled and stroked the snake's head. "Kin, this is my Papa."

As if understanding her words, it fixed its four yellow eyes on the Otsutsuki parent, flicking its tongue as it met his gaze. 

Momoshiki stared back, then tore his gaze away and waved his hand."Yes, yes. It hatched. Is there anything else?" 

The girl's expression fell slightly at the dismissal and she lowered her hands. The snake kept its eyes on Momoshiki and curled the end of its tail around the girl's small finger.

 "Papa?" 

"What?" Momoshiki glanced at her, his scowl from before gradually returning. 

"When will Mama be home? You keep saying that she'll be back soon, but she isn't."

"I've already told you before. Your mother is away performing an important task for me. She'll return when I call her back." 

"When will that be?" Marichi stared up at him with big eyes. "Can't she come home now? I want her to meet Kin." 

"Little Star, are you lonesome?" 

Marichi smiled briefly at the nickname her mother used for her, though it faded at her father's tone. "... I do miss Mama." 

"Don't worry; once I have collected my prize, she will return." 

"Really?" The girl smiled again and looked at her per. "Did you hear that, Kin? You'll get to meet Mama!" 

"Tch." Momoshiki sneered faintly at the child, then stiffened as he sensed an overwhelming and familiar presence. 

"Papa?" Marichi blinked at his expression and unusual tenseness. "Is something wrong?"

She turned her eyes toward the figure that had only recently returned to the palace and was entering the hall. All others avoided his gaze entirely, bowing their heads as he passed, though Momoshiki remained rooted in place and his eyes wide. 

 As the clan leader approached, Marichi smiled in greeting, ignorant to the tension in the air."Hello, Lord Isshiki! You look well!" She held up her hands and took a step closer, and his pace slowed as he glanced down at her. "Look! My egg hatched into a snake! Isn't it wonderful?" 

 A pause settled between them, and Momoshiki clenched his jaw, though unable to speak, he cursed his daughter for her unnaturally friendly, foolish demeanor. A small group along the far side of the great hall muttered to each other about the girl's irreverence, though they dared not speak louder than in a breath. 

 Isshiki reached into his cloak, causing Momoshiki to flinch instinctively, and the patriarch placed a small object into the girl's hand. Momoshiki's jaw clenched tighter as Isshiki met his eyes, with his own narrowing in intent. 

Marichi's eyes widened. "It's Mama's pendant!" But her grin twisted as she looked at the brooch again, noticing the dried blood there. "W-What's t-this?" She swallowed and looked at Isshiki. "W-Where's Mama?" 

Isshiki kept his gaze on Momoshiki, noticing the younger Otsutsuki's change of expression as he gazed down at the trinket of his wife, and the Otsutsuki turned without a word to return to his chambers. 

Marichi's lip quivered at the bloodied brooch and slowly turned to her father. "P-Papa... I don't understand. Mama... she's coming back, right?" 

Momoshiki exhaled hotly and he glared at the trinket. He turned and strode quickly away, clenching his fists into balls as he seethed. Kinshiki cast a long look at his adoptive granddaughter before turning to follow Momoshiki dutifully.

 "...Papa? Papa?!" Marichi's hands shook and she looked between the pendant and her pet. "K-Kin... mama.... will come home, right?"