Chapter 6 New Developments
Kakashi along with everyone else walked down the stairs to the lowest level of the base. Waiting by the door was Sakura who was writing something down. She looked up to see them coming as a rare smile crossed her face.
"Kakashi-sensie you made it." said Sakura
"Yes, we made it." said Kakashi as the group stopped near the door. "How is he?"
"Not good." said Naruto's voice from the other side of the door.
"How bad is it?" asked Tenten as Sakura looked down at the ground.
"Take a look." said Naruto as Sakura moved to the side. Kakashi stepped up to take a look though the bars, his eyes widened at what he saw. Naruto was sitting on the edge of a bed, however he had changed in ways Kakashi thought impossible. His lower right arm was covered with black fur and claws, his blue eyes where silted and his teeth where fanged. However the real change was in his chest, it almost looked like it didn't belong on his body. His chest and his entire upper body looked unnatural. His upper body looked like it had grown to ties it's normal size making his head, arms and lower body look extremely small. Every single chest muscle was well defined almost like a body builder expect he didn't have the arm muscles. His chest had grown so much that he couldn't even put his shirt on.
"How are you doing Naruto?" asked Kakashi as Naruto looked down at the floor.
"Like I said, not good." said Naruto before standing up, he tried to walk but because of his now massive upper body and weaker lower body he had to struggle not to stumble as he walked. "Kakashi you have to take over command."
"Naruto this isn't the time to worry about that." said Kakashi
"Worry about what?" asked Hinata
"Since Tsunade is MIA and believed dead that makes Naruto in charge of all Leaf ninjas." explained Captain Yamato "Naruto wants to pass command over to Kakashi since he is free of the infection."
"Naruto there is only seven of us, eight counting you." said Ino "You don't have to worry about that."
"Yes, I do." growled Naruto as he showed his new sharp teeth "Please do this for me Kakashi."
"Alright, I will take command until you are back to normal." said Kakashi
"Thank you." said Naruto as he walked back to his bed and sat back down.
"Naruto we are going to leave you for a bit to go talk over some things will you be ok?" asked Kakashi
"I am not going anywhere." stated Naruto as everyone but Sakura started to walk away.
"Sakura we will need you too." ordered Kakashi as Sakura took one more look at Naruto before following the others up the stairs to the second floor and the meeting room.
"What do we know?" asked Kakashi as they all sat down around the table.
"We are dealing with a mutagenic virus that transforms people into half human half animal creatures." Said Sakura as she read of from Tsunade's own notes "It seems that they keep some of their humanity and memories but their minds tend to focus on the more animal side."
"So their minds become animals?" asked Sai
"In a way, instead of focusing on say business or art they focus on hunting and basic survival." said Ino "However they tend to want to mate with their human pattern. That is why Neji wants Tenten, Shikamaru wants Temari and Kiba-kun wants me"
"Anko is hunting for me." Thought Kakashi
"So when Naruto finish turning he will want Hinata?" asked Sai as Sakura looked at him. She wanted to scream hell no but that would raise a lot of problems they didn't need right now and with Hinata right beside her at the table it wasn't a good idea.
"A possibility but we did break up a week ago." said Hinata sadly.
"We better not temp him to become violent." said Captain Yamato "Hinata this may be hard but try to stay away from Naruto until Sakura and Ino can find a cure."
"Speaking of a cure, how close are you to finding one?" asked Kakashi
"Not good, we don't have the supplies to carry out any real tests; we can only run blood tests and not much more." said Ino
"We were going to sneak into the Leaf in about a week to gather supplies like food and medical." explained Temari
"A reasonable idea." said Captain Yamato
"No will not." Said Sakura as the others looked at her "From the rate of Naruto's change he will be fully transformed within the week."
"That would make it unwise to keep Naruto around when he finishes turning." said Tenten "We don't know how those doors will hold up against an attack."
"Those doors are solid steel with chakra absorbing seals on the door." explained Temari
"Those seals have limits he could break out now, a rasengan to the door would destroy it." said Sai
"I don't think so." said Sakura "From Lady Tsunade's notes it seems that when people transform their chakra network is destroyed and they lose almost all of their chakra."
"Wouldn't that kill them?" asked Hinata "If the Chakra network is destroyed then their body shuts down."
"Normally it would but it seems the virus does something to keep them alive." Said Ino "That is why a fully transformed person would be great for testing a cure."
"You want to capture one of them?" asked Tenten
"Yes." Said Ino
"Didn't we just go though how dangerous that is?" asked Hinata
"It is also the fastest way to find a cure." said Ino
"Our goal is to find the cure as soon as possible." said Temari "It may be worth the risk."
"It is up to you Kakashi." said Tenten
"Alright if it is possible and it is safe when we go to the Leaf we will capture someone who is turned." said Kakashi
"I would recommend someone we know." said Ino "That way we can study not only their physical change but how much their minds have changed."
"Alright, if possible." said Kakashi
"I have a question why do people change into different animals?" asked Sai "Isn't the virus the same?"
"That is why we should also get another animal race so we can see the differences." said Ino
"What is Naruto becoming?"asked Captain Yamato
"A fox." stated Sakura
"Is he becoming a fox because of the Kyuubi?" asked Kakashi
"Likely but we can't be sure. However it doesn't explain why some people become different animals." said Sakura
"Alright, so who is going to the Leaf?" asked Captain Yamato
"We will go in three, two men teams." said Kakashi
"Captain Yamanto will go with Ino to get medical supplies from the hospital." said Kakashi
"We can get medical supplies from my apartment." added Sakura
"Alright then you and I will go there." said Kakashi
"What about food? Is the third team going there?" asked Tenten
"No, we will go for food first before we split up to go after medical supplies. The third team will be Hinata and Sai." said Kakashi
"Sai I want you to use your ink bird and fly over the Leaf. With Hinata's Byakugan she can keep an eye out on us." said Kakashi "If anyone is infected we leave them behind and those who are still uninfected will leave this base. Temari, there are other places you can go?"
"Yes, there are dozens of underground sand bases all over the world." said Temari "I don't know all their locations but the map of the locations is in the serecty room."
"Alright, if we don't report back within a day leave and go to another location." Said Kakashi
"What about me?" asked Tenten
"If Naruto get violent then it is up to you to stop him." explained Kakashi
"Alright." said Tenten
"Then we will go to the Leaf. If we leave now we can move with the cover of night." said Kakashi as he stood up.
"Kakashi I have to warn you to stay away from the Hyuga, Inuzuka and Uchiha compounds." said Tenten
"Why?" asked Hinata
"Because the last report I heard was that the wolves, dogs and big cats had begun to focus on those places." said Tenten "And they will show no mercy."
"Thanks." said Kakashi
It took only a few minutes to gather their weapons and other supplies that they would need to get to the Leaf and back. Each one of them had to put in the short range chakra powered radio into their ears as they stood just outside the base.
"Remember Hinata with Sai will keep an eye on us from the sky but if anyone gets infected the mission is canceled and we all head back to the base." said Kakashi
"Sai make sure you keep that map safe." ordered Captain Yamato to Sai as he stood on one of his large inc birds. Beside him stood Hinata, her Byakugan scanning the area for any sign of enemies.
"Alright it will take half an hour to reach the outer wall; from there we will head to the market and try to find as much food as we can. After that we will split up, to go after our assigned targets." reported Kakashi
For a moment Sakura was taken aback by Kakashi's tone, he stood their explaining their battle plan just like an ANBU captain would. In fact Kakashi hadn't even taken out his book yet to read the perverted stories from the mind of the late Jiraiya.
"Alright lets get going." ordered Kakashi as they took off toward the Leaf.
Meanwhile Naruto lied on the bed he was given, normally he would have complained about having to sleep on a cold slab of concrete but his mind was focused on trying to stay awake. His body cried out for sleep but his fear kept him up. He knew he had to sleep but also feared what changes would happen to him in his sleep. It was irrational, he would change no matter what happened but he still didn't want to close his eyes only to have them reopened as an animal.
"How did my life get so fucked up?" asked Naruto to the wall "I was going to finally going to be the Hokage, I had a girlfriend and everything seemed perfect."
Flashback
Naruto sat with his back to the wall but not in a bad way. In fact he was enjoying this as his shirtless girlfriend Hinata sat in his lap. Her bra was stranding to hold in her breasts as Naruto's hands massage them.
"I have been waiting for this for a life time." said Hinata with a smile as she gently kissed her boyfriend as her hand's removed his shirt. They had agreed when they first started dating that they would wait until after the war to do it. However the war was now over.
"So have I." said Naruto as he felt Hinata's throw his shirt aside before untying his belt buckle. Hinata's hand found its way down Naruto's pants and to his sack. Naruto's eyes widen as Hinata started playing with his balls.
"How is that Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata as Naruto threw his head back and let out a deep moan.
"Oh Sa….ku…ra-chan." moaned Naruto as suddenly Hinata pulled her hand out of Naruto's pants.
"What?" asked Hinata as her eyes widened and tears began to form in her eyes. "You still love Sakura?"
"No I love you." stated Naruto
"No you don't you don't love me, you love Sakura just like you always did." said Hinata as she put her shirt and shoes back on.
"Hinata please." said Naruto
"Admitted it please, admit it." pleaded Hinata "You love Sakura not me."
"Hinata I am sorry." said Naruto as he looked up at Hinata "I guess we are over."
End Flashback
"Hinata was right, I do love Sakura-chan." said Naruto as he closed his eyes and finally let sleep take him. Unknown to him large lump was forming at his tail bone.
Miles away under the cover of darkness Sakura sneezed.
"Forehead keep it down." ordered Ino as Kakashi raised his hand as everyone came to a stop.
"Hinata what do you see?" asked Kakashi in his radio
High above Sai and Hinata flew with the cover the low lying clouds to protecting them from sight.
"There is a opening in the wall 100 meters to your left that is your best spot to enter the village." Reported Hinata
"Hinata what are condition on inside the village." asked Captain Yamnto
"It is hard to say that it is still the Leaf village." reported Hinata as she looked out over the village, many buildings where still on fire and many buildings had fallen into nothing but piles of rubble.
"Any sign of infected?" asked Sakura
"Many but they are asleep inside the houses so you should be good." reported Hinata
"Alright let's move." ordered Kakashi as the team moved toward a part of the outer wall. However it wasn't a wall anymore it was a mound of rubble. A hole the size of an entire building was in the wall.
"Keep the noise down." stated Kakashi as he slowly climbed over the rubble to get his first look at the village. His first sight was an empty road full of over turned carts and ripped clothing. "Alright we need to move fast and quietly, we must not be seen."
"Right." said everyone as they prepared to move out. That is when Sakura saw what had become of her home, their lying on the ground were the bones of an older woman, maybe in her late 60's. She wasn't turned she was still human, except parts of her body had been ripped off for food.
"My God." said Sakura, knowing that this sight would just be the first of many this night.
Well I am sorry for the delay finals, Halo Reach and some writer's block hit me. I just could not get into writing a Naruto/Hinata love scene even when I knew how it was going to end. It just felt so unnatural to me. Well I hope you still liked this chapter, I hope to get back into my normal updating time frame. Thanks Wilkins75