Finding Truth

《5》

Shiro slowly woke up, hearing that the vehicle had come to a stop and he quickly gathered his things and stepped out of the vehicle. His eyes widen at the sight before him.

It was a large city with a lot of people running around. Loud music could be heard and the voices of people came from every direction he turned his head. In the distance he could see a large castle and a few buildings apart was a large church.

He was here. At the country's capital.

"Ugh... so many people..." He grumbled, holding into his bag tighter than before. He fiddled with his collar and opened it, feeling all stuffy and uncomfortable. A lot of vendors were offering their items to those passing by. There were even some giving out free taste of food.

He needed to hurry. He had to find his uncles before dawn approached. He didn't want to spend any more money and why live in an inn if your uncles have an estate in the capital. But there was no way he was talking to Michikatsu, he was going to look for Yoriichi. They actually live together but eh. He do what he do.

"Excuse me." He called at the person in front of him. It was another boy maybe just a year or two older than him. He had blonde hair and honey eyes, he looked like he was crying. "Do you know the way to the church?"

"Oh! You're new!" He exclaimed happily. "I'll show to the church!" He said, as he looked around nervously and began shaking Shiro's shoulder. "I'm Agatsuma Zenitsu! I'll help you find the church! Just be sure that when my gramps and older brother find us tell them that I was helping you! Got it!? GOT IT!?"

"OKAY! OKAY! STOP IT!" He said, prying away from the blond. "I'm Shiro by the way. And may I ask why you were crying?" He asked, walking besides the boy who snapped his head at any small old man and people with black hair. "You look like you just went through hell."

"No duh!" Zenitsu cried. "My gramps is a noble and my brother is a commander in the army! They're training to get me to enter! But I don't want to! It's too hard to train!" He began to rant as Shiro listened intently. "My brother and I aren't actually related! We were just adopted by gramps because we both have affiliation with lightning magic!"

Shiro's eyes widen at the mention of magic. "That's amazing! Can I see you do something! You must be super cool!"

"C-cool..? M-Me..." Zenitsu mumbled, feeling his pride well up a bit. "Oh shucks! You shouldn't!" He slapped Shiro's shoulder, making him tumble forwards. "But if you insist! Here we go!" He extended his hand, nothing happened.

"Tch. what a letdown..." Shiro turned away and continued walking as Zenitsu cried and told him that he did it earlier.

"JUST WATCH!" Zenitsu shouted near Shiro's ear he was sure he would go deaf. "JUST WATCH!" Shiro nodded fast and let Zenitsu do his thing. Zenitsu closed his eyes as he heaved in a deep breath. "And... bam!"

Nothing happened.

Shiro stayed quiet. He whipped his head around and continued to walk away, Zenitsu clinging onto his foot and telling him to watch again. Shiro was about to tell him off when they heard a cry for help and they immediately turned their heads.

In the middle of town was someone holding a kid at knifepoint, asking for something in return for the girl. Shiro was worried. The guards that came couldn't get near.

"Zenitsu, do something!" Shiro whispered as he tried to push him to the middle of the crowd. Zenitsu kept crying, telling him that he was just a coward and that he couldn't do anything. "Just do- ah."

Someone bumped into his back and he bumped into Zenitsu's back, making him go straight in the middle where the criminal stared at him. Zenitsu fainted. Shiro panicked, wondering what he could to help.

"Scum like you should just rot in hell, don't you think so?" Shiro looked up, shocked to see Zenitsu stand up, lightning cracking in the air.

"Zenitsu!" He cheered as he saw him take a stance. "Wow you actually-" He paused and saw that Zenitsu's eyes were closed. 'Woah! He's doing this with his eyes closed!? Is he sleeping!?'

Zenitsu took a deep breath as he chanted a spell. The sky darkened and people watched in amazement. "Thunderclap." The moment those words left Zenitsu's mouth, a lightning bolt came down on the criminal, completely leaving the girl unharmed.

The people began to cheer and the guards apprehended the passed out criminal and Zenitsu woke up and immediately hid behind Shiro as guards rushed to him.

"Thank you for your help, sir Agatsuma!" They said and left, leaving Zenitsu confused at what just took place in front of him.

"Are you.. Are you not conscious when it happens?" Shiro asked, helping the boy stand up straight.

"What happens?" He asked, equally confused as well.

"Anyway, that was pretty cool." Shiro smiled and Zenitsu cocked his head to the side. "You were pretty cool. You confronted that criminal!" Zentisu didn't believe him. Shiro sighed, knowing Zenitsu really won't believe him. "Anyway-"

"Zenitsu." A dark voice called for the blond as he shrieked and began to tremble in his spot, his teeth chattering. Shiro looked at the person to see a boy a few years older than him with jet black hair and turquoise eyes. He wore training clothes and held a wooden sword, dark blue lightning cracking beside him. "What do you think you're doing? Training just started and you run off. Do you want to die right here, right now?"

"NOOO!!!" He cried, clinging into Shiro. "Tell him! Tell him that I was helping you! TELL HIM!"

"A-ah yes." Shiro nodded, looking the boys straight in the eyes. "Zentisu was helping me find my way to the church. You don't need to be angry at him, he was just helping me- ah?"

Shiro couldn't finish his sentence as a loud shout came from the crow, gaining the three's attention. "The High Priest has arrived!"

Shiro's eyes widened and his jaw nearly dropped to the ground. This time, he was the one clinging to Zenitsu. "Zenitsu! You gotta hide! Please! You gotta hide me! Make sure that the high priest doesn't see me!" He cried, shaking the boy.

"What? Why?" Zenitsu asked. Never in his life has he seen someone not wanting to meet the high priest.

"PLEASE! JUST HIDE ME!" Shiro whispered shouted, also dragging the other boy and made them stand beside each other to shield him. And for the first time in his life, he thought of his height as a curse. He was 5'6 at the age of fourteen. His white hair was sticking out, completely contrasting against the black haired boy.

"Agatusma's kids. I'm looking for someone." Michikatsu approached the two boys and they immediately bowed, revealing the figure of the trembling Shiro. "Nevermind, it seems that I've found him."