Bupuku lay on the bed. His eyes, cloudy with age but still sharp, fixed on Shota. He lifted one shaky hand and beckoned. "Come here boy. Let me see your face."
Shota stepped forward without hesitation. He stood close to the bed so the old man could look at him clearly.
Bupuku studied him for a long moment. Then a weak chuckle escaped his lips. "Ah, you look just as lazy as Chō had described you."
Shota felt heat rise to his cheeks once again. He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. He did not know what to say.
Bupuku's smile grew warmer. "To meet the fabled Eraserhead of Suna. It is my honor."
Shota bowed deeply. "No elder. It is my honor to meet the legendary Bupuku. You have done the village a great duty by housing Shukaku the One-Tail."
Bupuku shook his head slowly. "Well, it was not a duty I planned to do. It was forced on me."
Shota stayed quiet. He did not know how to respond to that either.
Bupuku looked toward the ceiling as if seeing something far away. "Just like this duty would be forced on some other person next."
He paused. His breathing sounded a little heavier. Then he turned his head back to Shota. "Well, I will get straight to why I told Chō to bring you here."
Shota glanced at the matron, Lady Chō who stood silently by the wall. She kept her face calm, but her hands were clasped tightly in front of her.
Bupuku spoke again. "It seems my time has come. Being a jinchuriki has decreased my lifespan by quite a few years. But I am happy that I have lived as long as I did. Eighty-plus years. I do not think anyone in Suna can say that they lived this long."
He coughed once, a dry sound. "The point is, Suna seals are not powerful. The seals have a lot of holes that could let Shukaku influence the host jinchuriki. Shukaku has been with me because, well, with the teachings of myself as a monk, I have learned to keep my rage and other emotions calm. Thus even the feeble seal that is placed upon me is able to handle Shukaku."
Bupuku's gaze drifted to the side. He frowned slightly. "Huh, quiet Shukaku. I am speaking right now. And no, it is not because you have decided to give me your blessing that you are still here. We both know you would tear me and the village the second I give you the chance to be free."
He paused again, as if listening. Then he muttered, "Do not lie to me, old friend. I can feel your excitement bubbling under the surface. You think this is your big moment, do you not? The moment the seal weakens and you finally get to stretch your legs and wreck something."
Another pause. Bupuku rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, I know you hate being called old. But you are older than dirt itself. And no, I will not let you speak to the boy. He is not here for your tantrums."
He sighed. "Always so excited. One day you will learn patience. Or maybe not. You never have."
Shota watched in quiet amazement. 'He is speaking and bickering with Shukaku?'
Bupuku turned back to Shota. "Like you can see, I fear my successor would not be able to contain One-Tail like I have. I have warned the Kazekage of the same. So they have decided to keep you as the jinchuriki protector until the next jinchuriki would be able to control it. Your eyes would stop Shukaku from manifesting."
Shota nodded slowly. He understood the role. It was a big role, but he had expected something like this eventually.
Bupuku's voice grew softer. His eyes filled with a deep sadness. "I would request you to please be kind to the jinchuriki. It would be a newborn child likely. I would not want any newborn child to live the same way I did. By being scared of his very existence by everyone around him. I was sealed as a baby too. The moment the people knew about my status as a jinchuriki, people started looking at me differently. Mothers pulled their children away when I walked by. Friends stopped coming close. Even my own parents whispered behind closed doors about what monster lived inside me."
He swallowed hard. "The loneliness was worse than the seal. Worse than the pain when Shukaku tried to break free. I grew up knowing that my life was not my own. That one mistake, one moment of anger, and the village could suffer. I carried that weight every single day. No child should have to carry it. No child should grow up thinking their birth was a curse. They deserve love. They deserve hugs from their mother. They deserve friends who see them as a person, not a container for a beast."
Bupuku's hand trembled slightly. "Promise me you will watch over that child. Not just with your eyes to stop Shukaku, but with your heart. Talk to them when they are scared. Sit with them when they cry at night because the seal hurts. Teach them that they are more than what is inside them. Show them kindness when the world shows fear. That is the only way the next generation can break this cycle. That is the only way Suna can truly be safe, not by stronger seals, but by stronger hearts."
His voice cracked a little at the end. "I have spent my life holding back a monster. But the real monster is fear. Do not let it win."
Bupuku took a slow breath. "And if it is not too much, tell the jinchuriki to be kind with Shukaku as well. It is not his fault either. He is just someone who wants to live in peace. But us humans cannot have him walking because of our fear and greed."
He mumbled again, almost to himself. "I am not taking pity on you. I am saying what is in my mind. Not that taking pity on you would stop you from tearing the village apart the moment you get loose."
Shota waited until the old man finished his quiet argument. Then he spoke clearly. "I will take care of the jinchuriki, elder. Besides, even if you had not asked, I would have done it for the protection of Suna."
Bupuku smiled weakly. "Ah, such a good dedicated shinobi. I would also like to thank you about being with Chō. You and the other kids at the orphanage have made her quite happy. You have given her a purpose. I could never spend time with her due to my situation as a jinchuriki. I hope that you continue to do so once I am gone."
The matron snorted. "Huh, happy? Those kids would be the death of me. They run around like bees. They break things. They eat everything in sight. The little ones cry all night. And do not get me started on the messes they make in the kitchen. I spend half my day cleaning up after them."
She crossed her arms. "But fine. Maybe they are not completely useless. They keep the place from feeling too empty and hearing their laughter sometimes makes the days bearable. But do not tell them I said that. They will get big heads."
Shota interrupted her gently. "Do not worry, elder. I would take care of this cranky old lady. She is family after all."
The matron's eyes widened. She reached for the cane leaning against the wall. "You little—"
Shota body-flickered away in an instant. One moment he stood there. The next moment he was gone.
The matron stared at the empty spot. She huffed. "That boy. Always running when things get serious."
Bupuku chuckled softly. "He is a good one, Chō."
--------Author Notes---------
I have decided to increase the number of extra chapters on patreon from 15 to 20. Thankyou.
Y'all can now read the next 20 chapters of the fanfic on my pat*reon.
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