PART V
The Beast
Gohama didn't really want to go to sleep now that Father was actually home in time to put her to bed. It had been too long since they had had time with each other. Still, she could see the deep purple bags under his eyes and decided not to push Father even more.
"Father." The little girl called as her father slid the door closed after himself.
He turned back with a small smile. "Yes, Hama-chan?"
The little girl straightened herself against the plush pillows of her bed and clutched the duvet closer to her chest. "There's a monster..." She whispered.
"There is?" Father asked with wide gentle eyes and curiosity in his voice. He moved towards the bed. "Where? Under the bed?" He knelt down and sneaked a glance.
When he came up again Gohama shook her head and shifted her eyes down, her hands still keeping her duvet up to her chin.
Father sat at the edge of the bed. "Do you know where the monster is, Hama-chan?"
It was hard to say the words to Father, the bravest, strongest man in the world, but she had been bothered for days, making her minutes before falling asleep much more scary. Gohama nodded and slowly pulled her arm from under her covers. She turned it to show the inside of her forearm to Father. "Here."
They both stared at the soft skin of Gohama's forearm, where the silhouette of a dark blue dragon with ten tails was branded. Father's forehead creased between his eyebrows and Gohama was afraid she had made him mad. Instead, he held her little hand with his large own.
"That's not a monster, Hama-chan. Why do you think that?"
"The boys and girls at the park said it was…" she explained quietly.
It was clear Father wasn't pleased with that. "But it's not. That is a jinchuriki seal and the dragon is not a monster, he's a beast. Remember Osamu-hanshi classes? Remember his name?"
"Seiryu…"
"Yes. Seiryu is a biju, but that doesn't mean he's bad or scary. He is very good and he is strong and helps us protect our home. But he needs a girl, as strong as he is, to do it." Father gave her a smile that wasn't happy at all and only made her chest pinch. "That's why you have him on your arm, Gohama, and inside you. And you're very strong, Gohama, and will be even stronger, the strongest of all shinobi in the village."
"Even stronger than you, Father?" Her big green eyes looked up at him.
He chuckled softly. "Much stronger."
"And Mother?"
"Yes. You and Seiryu together. So strong you will protect Buki, you will protect us all, Gohama." If Father said it, then it was true.