Chapter LII

The Pursuit

Once my body and my mind were refreshed, I left my bed to wash away the static electricity accumulated in my mane with water. Surprised, but not surprised, Naruto obeyed his nocturnal creature instincts and slept with me. That my hair looked horribly shaggy proves it. Otherwise, I would never have known.

Hungry, I cooked myself something. The smells attracted the curiosity of Naruto who came to observe what I was doing … a little too closely since he was in my way. To occupy him and have peace, I offered him a puzzle. However, he wasn't very interested in this one … or the others for that matter. He seems excruciatingly sleepy to me all of a sudden. His tiny half-closed eyes imply that he's sleeping upright while the night is supposed to wake him up. Odd.

All in all, Naruto moved to my window that he opened. Half-lying on the headboard of the bed and the bed itself, he crossed his arms on which he rested his head. He contented himself with observing the exterior becoming more and more engulfed in darkness. The many clouds darken this particularly black night despite its lunar star at its peak. Even his ebony tail remains motionless and lifeless.

When I inquire about his condition, Naruto just looks back at me. If I touch him, he reacts, but not more than that. His demeanour isn't normal at all. This isn't his style, especially during these hours—on the contrary, he's active and annoying. To say I'm anxious would be an understatement. Worried, I watch my student with a keen eye while swallowing my meal.

Since I don't feel like going to bed right away, I just laze around, reading in my bunk. I will give him my chakra later. With this forced and prolonged nap, I don't want his venom to run through my body more than necessary; the more it runs in my blood, the more I will need it, and the more I will be unable to part with it. I had planned to take Naruto out tonight … but seeing his sudden worrying lethargy, I change my mind…

His behaviour is abnormal and I am weighing my words. I feel as if it's getting worse over time. When I briefly tickle him on the ribs, it takes a few seconds for him to show signs of discomfort before moving a millimetre away. If I start again, the same thing happens. Moreover, he doesn't return the slightest glance nor does he issue the slightest verbal complaint. If I call out to him, he peeks at me. Naruto remains silent and unresponsive to anything.

I'm so focused on Naruto that I don't even read anymore; I stare uselessly at these empty pages on which intelligible squiggles are printed. My favourite novel seems as interesting as a blank wall now. I gnaw my blood to the marrow; I don't know if Naruto is just tired or if I need to urgently examine him and find out what's wrong. He blinks, he breathes … he yawns sometimes. Is my mind playing tricks on me?

Slowly, the darkness fades as the sky clears up, revealing its bright and distant stars. Suddenly, I notice the teen's dark fur ruffling and puffing out, along with his blond hair. Naruto jerks his head up and stares at the endless void before him without any facial expression. I feel as if that he's in the grip of a deep trance. This doesn't bode well at all.

"Naruto...?" I call out gently, trying to put a hand on his shoulder…

With a start, I withdraw immediately before I even touch him. His skin has suddenly released lightning and if I touch him, I will receive a shock. His veil of static electricity has grown in intensity and is ready to electrocute anything that comes in contact with it. Naruto seems to be storing electricity with which he will create artificial storms…

A cold sweat breaks out on my forehead.

His disturbing immobility is a ticking time bomb; a warning that a tragedy is about to happen. I have a very, very bad feeling. My heart starts racing and I stay alert. Given his unstable psyche, I brace myself for the possibility that he jumps down my throat. I take a defensive position, ready to react. I recovered some chakra… However, this is far from enough; my field of action is greatly limited. I repeat Naruto's name, but my voice doesn't reach his deaf ears, as if I had disappeared from his universe.

I forget to breathe when the black markings on his back light up in a hypnotic blue, like his ever brighter eyes. Without warning, Naruto escapes through my window. Unfortunately, I take too long to react and I'm too slow. I try to grab his tail which slips between my fingers.

With dread, I watch the blond who is jumping from the second floor and landing gracefully on the ground. He gets up after the time of a breath. He's barefoot, he's not wearing his dark cape and he's dressed in a simple sweater under which his tattoos shine like a thousand lights. The glow from his markings and eyes is visible for miles and contrasts in the darkness. From then on, Naruto rushes to go I don't know where.

"Shit," I fume to myself, clicking my tongue in my mouth.

I put on my shoes at lightning speed and immediately rush in pursuit of the fleeing boy.

- XxX -

Blindly obeying his instincts dictated by this very precise idea in his head, Naruto was running at high speed and his running was crazy and unstable. Although his mind was confused, he knew where he wanted to go, but he did not know which way to go. He was so focused on his goal that he could barely translate visual information, if at all; only his nose still worked, and he could only rely on it for direction. He did not see the human presence staring at him. Fear and panic bloomed in their heart over an unrecognizable, beast-like Naruto rampaging and possessed by a crazy-eyed entity.

At one point, the teenager noticed a market stall which he crashed into despite himself. He had braked … in vain. He rolled in the mess which he destroyed and turned upside down; the whole thing collapsed on him and buried him. Nonetheless, he rose to his feet, frantically pushing the many broken objects and woods off him with his arms and tail.

Seeing a human too close to him, Naruto electrified his blond hair and tail, uttering high-pitched hisses. His palms were ready to claw—he even clawed the air in warning. In response, the surrounding people took to their heels, escaping cries. Panic was soon king.

Meanwhile, Kakashi finally caught up with him. He saw with horror the savagery his pupil was showing. Because of his depleted chakra reserves despite his recent sleep, he was too slow, too weak. His jutsus were limited; activating his Sharingan was a gamble and he had no weapons or useful gear on hand. Although he kept his cool, panic consumed him. This whole story had to remain in the greatest of secrets. He had the job of making sure it stayed that way since Naruto was under his care. Seeing him wag his tail, show his fangs and his feral temper, the miniature storms that his fur and hair had become…

He had failed in his mission.

The Copy Ninja could only hope to put an end to the blond's fury before he hurt anyone now. Of course, he was the only shinobi able and entitled to approach Naruto to stop him … especially a Naruto possessed by his beast instincts.

"NARUTO!" Kakashi bellowed as he rushed at him.

Kakashi's voice reached Naruto's ears as he turned his head towards him. The incipient lightning that fluttered over his skull and his tail faded… However, the shine in his eyes and his bluish patterns persisted with as much intensity, like his dishevelled hair. Before the grey could reach him, Naruto hurried away, continuing his run more frantic than ever. He was visibly uncoordinated as he tripped over, getting his feet mixed up in various objects on the ground. He swept them away with his tail, jumping up to run again.

Kakashi fumed upon realizing that Naruto was faster than him. Seeing his student turn into a street, Kakashi took another path—rather, a shortcut. Luckily, thanks to the far too strong and unique body odour that stuck to the teenager's skin, he could easily track him by smell.

Unfortunately, the Copy Ninja could not let this chase drag on. Although Naruto was out of his line of sight, he could hear the feral boy's aggressive complaints, indicating that someone was a bit too close to him. This sinister and bestial song, mixed with cries of panic, resounded like a distant echo in the neighbouring streets.

Guessing with ease the next street Naruto took, Kakashi suddenly appeared in front of him within arm's reach. His hands were ready to welcome the teen, to capture him in their embrace, determined not to let go afterwards. In response, Naruto uttered a panicked cry and braked until he lost his balance. He fell backwards, as if he had slipped on a bar of soap.

To Kakashi's misfortune, he only brushed some blond hair; this sudden and unplanned fall prevented him from catching Naruto, who took the opportunity to trip him with his nimble tail. The prehensile limb was devoid of destructive lightning, and the flexibility it displayed made the Copy Ninja fall painlessly on his stomach.

Immediately, Naruto got up, starting a race on all fours before finding stability on his two feet. He turned back without giving Kakashi the slightest glance. Once again, Kakashi failed to catch the tail which slipped from his fingertips. Anger and frustration welled up inside him.

"NARUTO! SIT!" he ordered, throwing himself on the heels of his unstoppable student.

A few metres apart, Naruto never took his eyes off of Kakashi, who was dragging due to the fatigue that was gaining him unlike him. Naruto was invigorated with a nameless energy that flowed through his chakra network like a rush of adrenaline and gradually, he outdistanced Kakashi. Despite this trance in which he was, thus preventing him from thinking, Naruto managed to recognize the precious human in his eyes that he was relentlessly fleeing. He refused to hurt him, and then he was not worried at all. Kakashi's chakra reserves were limited; using his nose, he knew with shocking precision the exact amount that was going through his pursuer's body.

Enslaved to his instincts, Naruto could only obey himself despite Kakashi's orders to stop.

The sapphire-eyed boy was so focused on the image and scent of Kakashi that—when he turned into a street—he failed to notice Shikamaru, next to another he did not know and had never seen before.

The two friends barely had time to see Naruto appear when the latter rushed and suddenly bumped Akimichi Chōji. Both fell from the violent shock of the impact. Stunned, Shikamaru jumped before standing still. He had trouble understanding what had just happened; his mind refused to believe that it was Naruto, his tail visible to the eyes of the world, like the glowing azure markings that he was seeing for the very first time. Only a whisper escaped his lips.

Distraught, Naruto immediately removed himself from this human and jumped to his feet. He took on a fierce air, showing his fangs and claws prominently; at this, his long fur and golden mane became lightning bolts that chased away the darkness with their chaotic light. Threatened, the blond let out a rotten grunt of animosity and brandished his arm to strike a powerful and fatal blow to scratch him… However, he recognized Shikamaru who intervened between him and his prey.

Alas, the blow was already on its way.

The sharp claws lacerated the arm Shikamaru used to protect himself and his brother in arms. Clothes and flesh were sliced off with ease. Three deep cuts sent out sprays of blood that stained the floor and the beast's clothes.

The hypnotic and luminous eyes plunged into those that betrayed the pain of the injured limb.

As he had read the emotions in his eyes, the other did the same with those who expressed a sincere regret for having hurt him.

Despite this assault, Shikamaru had received no electric shock. He understood that Naruto managed to recognize him. The same way he had when he escaped, the blond did not want to hurt him, although the damage had already been done, albeit unintentionally.

As for Chōji, everything happened so quickly that he could not react. He had glimpsed his unrecognizable friend and the next moment, he was on the ground as the bloody volleys defiled the assailant. Although Shikamaru had told him about it, explained the situation regarding Naruto, his short-circuited brain refused to believe it. Gazing with dread at this beast stripped of its humanity, he could not recognize Naruto … at least, the image of this Naruto he had known for a long time during his childhood.

It was not him.

"SHIKAMARU! CHŌJI! HOLD HIM BACK!" shouted Kakashi, who came from where Naruto had appeared.

His voice overwhelmed the attention of the three teenagers who turned their heads. As his hairs returned to their soft, normal shape … sort of, Naruto violently pushed Shikamaru out of his way; the harshness of his gesture knocked Shikamaru down, and it plunged his raw arm into pain. The blond walked around them to continue his escape in the hope of losing Kakashi and thus, going where his instincts were screaming at him to go.

Not trying to understand the reason why Naruto was running away from Kakashi, Shikamaru tried to grab an ankle or the tail … without success. Unfortunately, although he was much closer than his friend, the unrecognizable image of a feral Naruto had destabilized Chōji, to the point that he could not do anything. It was too late when he shook his head to collect himself; Naruto was already far away.

The jōnin was in bad shape and obviously in need of reinforcement. The young shinobis got up to follow his raging race and lend him a hand. Kakashi was slow, greatly slowed down by the consequences of feeding Naruto with his chakra; to this, physical inaction and lack of training had weakened him just as much. To Kakashi's dismay, Naruto had sped up once more, more determined than ever to escape him. A cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

Kakashi was wrong. The feral boy was much faster than him.

"Kakashi-Sensei! What's going on?!" Shikamaru inquired painfully, forgetting the agonizing pain in his arm.

"I don't know," Kakashi replied sluggishly, his breath ragged. "He's completely bewitched and has been avoiding me since he ran away. I've never seen him like this, and I'm going to need you two to stop him. Alone, I can't do it."

The two teenagers nodded in heart. While following Naruto's trail, they listened to Kakashi's quickly hatched plan to put an end to this pursuit. Not only because it was sprouting a growing panic in Konohagakure, but also because the chances of other ninjas getting involved increased. The Copy Ninja was aware of the disastrous consequences that this could have. It might add fuel to the fire. Naruto's fear of mankind, which he was just beginning to let go of, could very well be getting worse.

And Kakashi was determined to protect Naruto's progress in this regard.

- XxX -

All his senses were alert, although his lucidity was increasingly impaired. Since his bluish essence was perpetually renewing itself, now inexhaustible, Naruto had amplified his speed with his chakra to escape Kakashi once and for all… However, no matter what paths he took, hoping Kakashi to lose him, Kakashi's delicate scent showed otherwise. Naruto had to go to his destination; the growing madness had made him lose his mind… Besides, in this state, it was simply impossible to reason with him.

The sapphire-eyed boy blindly obeyed his instincts, which had become masters of his body, his mind and his heart that followed the pace of his steps.

His sensitive nose ignored all other smells; only that of his precious human resided in his nostrils. Kakashi was behind him and although Naruto quickened his pace, Kakashi would not let him outrun him. Naruto did not know why Kakashi was going to catch up to him when Kakashi was slower than him. By what miracle did Kakashi manage to follow his pace? It was impossible; Kakashi did not have enough chakra to pull off such an accomplishment. This disturbing fact dived him into chaotic emotions that sabotaged his judgment until he was unable to think now.

When Naruto took the alley to his right, he ventured there until Shikamaru appeared out of nowhere in front of him. Since Shikamaru was blocking his way, he braked. Luckily, there was another alley he could escape through. Without hesitation, he ran there… However, this unknown human appeared as suddenly as the other. Panicked, he almost tripped when he braked a second time. He could only turn back… However, once again, his only escape was blocked by Kakashi. This time he lost his balance as he fell backwards.

The panic brought back in him a primary fear. His blond hair and black fur took on their stormy appearance again as he stood on all four, like a feral beast cornered against the wall. While propelling lightning through the pores of his skin, Naruto frantically wagged his tail in all directions; it scourged the surroundings mercilessly with its blades of light. He swept his mad eyes over Kakashi and the other two surrounding him. In this symphony of birds taking their last breath, his growls mixed in this sinister song to which the screeching of his claws against the lacerated and marked ground was added.

As the young shinobis held their position, Kakashi carefully approached his student. Since Naruto was visibly possessed by his feral instincts, he made himself very small so as not to scare him. One step at a time, palms rose and chaste of violence before him, he advanced slowly.

The tension about to explode was excruciatingly unbearable.

"Easy, Naruto," he whispered with infinite kindness. "Calm down, Naruto. Everything will be all right. I am here. Close to you."

The glowing blue irises focused on him and no longer deviated. Kakashi somehow forgot his organ of love in the middle of a marathon. He swallowed and continued.

The same way he approached this fiery Naruto, he did the same with this electrified Naruto.

However, this time Naruto did not react or back down. Each step towards him pushed him to take a lower and lower posture. He arched his back. If it were not for his escape routs being blocked, he would run for his life. He was scared, sure, but he was not paralyzed with fear either.

That Kakashi could not reach him and silence his madness pinched his heart.

"You know me, Naruto. I won't hurt you. No one will hurt you, I promised you, Naruto. I will keep my word."

He noticed how this trance was engulfing the blond more and more over time. Naruto was not receptive to his words, indifferent even; his intention to cooperate was absent. It was such that a shroud swallowed his whole being and prevented him from coming into contact with reality, as if he were in another universe which was transposing, thus allowing these two worlds to coexist in the other. According to Naruto's current state, Kakashi would have no choice but to go to great lengths and put his plan into action. He was the only one able to capture him without causing him too much fear and pain.

The Copy Ninja glanced at Shikamaru to tell him to get ready. Then he directed his gaze to Chōji who nodded.

Their eyes silently agreed, ready.

While Kakashi continued to distract his student by whispering gentle words, Shikamaru shrugged off the pain and joined his hands to use his Kagemane no Jutsu with which he intended to catch Naruto… However, as soon as his fingers brushed against their twins, Naruto abruptly turned his attention to him. He glared at him with his eyes that cried murder, wagging his tail crazier than ever. He hissed loudly and he hit the ground which cracked under the force of the impact; this was a warning not to be taken lightly.

This petrified Shikamaru and interrupted his technique. Moreover, even if Kakashi raised his voice, the luminous irises did not derogate; they were forever pinned to Shikamaru. The eyelids no longer blinked, as if to make sure not to lose sight of him.

They realized that Naruto remembered Shikamaru's powers capable of neutralizing him. Since he had been victim to his spell once, this made sense.

His memory still worked despite his instincts blinding him.

Since Kakashi had not anticipated this, it was now time to improvise. He motioned to the kids to be ready and slowly, he gradually approached Naruto who purely and simply ignored him. Chōji was rotten with stress, but he waited for Kakashi's signal in this painful wait in which oxygen was scarce. Cold sweats broke out as they held their breath as Kakashi progressed. Kakashi too was anxious, although he was determined to catch Naruto for good; he had to silence the tremors that were trying to overwhelm his exhausted body.

When Naruto was within reach, Kakashi bent his knees to pounce. However, his movement was barely started when Naruto finally glanced over his shoulder. With a movement faster than lightning, the blond swept his legs with his black tail to knock him down. Of course, he had turned off the lightning bolts in his tail so as not to electrocute him. When the luminous eyes were no longer on him, Shikamaru executed his technique to reach Naruto's shadow with his own and thus, capture him…

In response, Naruto generated a veritable torrent of thunder. He became a luminous and painfully white ball of energy that chased away all the shadows around him, including those of Shikamaru. The flash dazzles them until Naruto fades in intensity. As a result of the immense amount of lightning, the air and surroundings were filled with an electric heaviness in which hair and clothing moved in a non-existent wind.

No sooner had he reduced his production of lightning than Naruto saw gigantic hands that sought to grab him and crush him in their mortal embrace. Kakashi jumped up to grab the tail close to him, even if it meant getting electrocuted by it.

Petrified for a breath, fear proliferating in all nerves like a destructive poison, a cry for survival untied Naruto's limbs.

Once again, his tail narrowly escaped Kakashi. He also escaped Chōji when—aided by his chakra in his feet—he quickly and frantically climbed up the wall behind him. The feral boy dug his sharp claws into this surface to crawl up to the roof on all fours, though his soles slipped more than they stuck. Once out of reach of his attackers, his hair returned to normal and without waiting, Naruto continued to run.

Kakashi suppressed his anger by fuming inwardly. He felt terribly helpless and this weakness to which he was enslaved to left a bitter taste in his mouth. If Naruto had not been a lightning entity, he would have used the earth release to neutralize him with ease … but this means was as effective as throwing oil on the fire.

Despite this bitter failure, the shinobis rushed after him again.

Since plan A had failed, they had to move on to plan B.

- XxX -

The panic lessened as Naruto distanced Kakashi, but not his heart; it had been beating so rapidly for too long that the blond was having trouble breathing properly. The pain in his tight chest for his oversized organ was barely tolerable. At a reasonable distance, Naruto had left the rooftops to find the ground and be much more comfortable; heights made him dizzy and he had an irrational fear of falling into the infinite void from which he could never come out again.

Fortunately, thanks to his nose, he noticed that he had finally lost Kakashi… However, anguish made its way into his brain unable to function. Naruto stopped running in an alley empty of human lives.

The scent of the precious human in his eyes was completely gone.

No matter how intensely he sniffed the air, he could not find him. His already panicked heart became more so; his breath followed the pace in his bruised chest. He was hyperventilating. Tremors accompanied his chaotic breathing, drops of sweat beaded profusely on his forehead and his temples… He even forgot what he had to do. Frozen in place and not knowing what to do, Naruto continued to sniff the air in the hope of finding Kakashi's trail.

Suddenly, the ground at his feet cracked and captured the full attention of his panicked eyes. In pure fear at having lost Kakashi, he froze from head to toe. A veil of confusion covered his face when the one he thought was lost came out of the ground, pouncing on him.

That second in which time had stood still until it became an eternity, Naruto realized that Kakashi's time underground had erased his unique and delicate scent.

Not trying to understand the reason why his student was horribly still and looking at him this way, Kakashi tackled him violently to the ground. In doing so, he grabbed Naruto's wrists and squeezed them roughly like an absolute vice. Legs to either side of the body below him, straddling a visibly stunned Naruto since he had hit his head, Kakashi spread the feral boy's arms outstretched to either side of him and pinned them fiercely to the ground.

Before Naruto could do anything, every muscle in his body was unable to move. He could not move or make the slightest gesture, not even the little finger.

Shikamaru had just neutralized him with his Kagemane no Jutsu.

Unable to move, Naruto plunged his irises into Kakashi's, who freed his welded hands from imaginary restraints. His breath calmed down and followed Kakashi's breathless one. Kakashi lifted Naruto's shirt to take a look at the mark on his chest. It was still blue, still as bright and luminous as his eyes twinkling like eternal fires.

Naruto sought to free himself from the bewitchment he fought against using his chakra … to no avail. He could only tremble in his helplessness.

Although the plan worked, the three shinobis remained on guard. Kakashi glanced at Chōji and Shikamaru. Shikamaru had a hard time containing Naruto and was exhausting himself very quickly. Every second was counted; Kakashi had to hurry to make Naruto come to his senses, to see the glow in his once ebony markings and the one in his eyes go out and thus, recognize his precious pupil.

Gently, the Copy Ninja placed his palms on the blond's cheeks, caressing it with his fingers and bringing his face close to his, in a hope of finally connecting with him.

"Naruto, calm down," he whispered. "Please come back to yourself, Naruto. It's me, Kakashi. I am there, with you, very close to you. Don't you recognize me?"

Although the glow did not leave his eyes, Kakashi recognized in them the feral Naruto that he was taking care of and protecting. His words reached him, resonated within him, it was understood. Calm won Naruto who—little by little—slowly regained contact with reality. However, the grey noticed the hands fighting against the bewitchment to approach his own… Since the mark on his chest remained blue and shiny, like his excruciatingly shaggy hairs which remained standing on end at their peak, Kakashi was on his guard; a cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He was hit with a bad feeling.

He dreaded the calm before the storm.

He dreaded the return of the thunderstorms.

He dreaded those hands equipped with claws.

With horror, Kakashi saw Naruto's face twist and go feral. The beast opened his mouth and bared his monstrous fangs, emitting a hiss straight from the realm of nightmares. The latter fiercely grabbed the already tortured wrists which tore a groan from Kakashi; Kakashi was electrified with a sharp pain in his aching arms and marked with indelible suffering. His powerful grip forbade any escape, the slightest attempt of which would result in broken and crushed bones in a destructive vice made of flesh. A tremendous amount of chakra escaped from Naruto's body, creating a ravenous tornado eager to take down all that exists in its destruction.

A bestial howl mixed with the melody of this artificial wind which pushed the two teenagers back several metres away, extracting a cry from them. In the centre of this cyclone, only Kakashi was not propelled like the others. Moreover, he noticed the absence of lightning; possessed by his instincts, Naruto recognized Kakashi that he did not wish to hurt by electrocuting him.

Free from all unseen bounds, Naruto ceased his chakra flow. He slammed both of his feet against Kakashi's stomach and swung back to roll, pushing Kakashi away from him. The Copy Ninja landed heavily on his back and did a few barrel rolls. The bruises already present on his skin took on a more pronounced colour; the pain also increased. He was paralyzed while he recovered from his fall, which had briefly disoriented him. Before he could get up, he watched the blond—already on both feet—run away.

Kakashi could not understand what was going on with Naruto more determined than ever to get somewhere, to the point of fiercely running away from him. The cause of this catastrophic phenomenon to which he had no answers enslaved the feral boy to his instincts.

Then, an unspeakable fear crossed his mind.

He wondered if Naruto was hypnotized by a chant that only his chakra devourer ears could hear. Whether it was a sound or a smell, it forced Naruto to reach whatever was calling him until he lost his mind. This nightmarish and implausible possibility sowed in him a nameless terror.

Kakashi was terrified that this group was trying to get his precious student back, kidnap him again and make him disappear forever.

Kakashi was now ready to use his Sharingan to hypnotize Naruto and bring him out of this trance, even if it meant exhausting all his chakra reserves which would put him in bed for a good week. Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Chōji rushed after Naruto again while devising a third plan.

Capturing him without hurting or traumatizing him proved difficult, if not impossible… Despite the discouragements, the shinobis remained confident. If plan C fails like the others, they will have to resort to drastic measures.