Chapter XXXI
The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox
In the absolute void where reigns the purest of silences, a constant noise, annoying and fed by a distant echo increases in intensity. I try in spite of myself to endure it, to ignore this sound which persists even more. Soon this pounding becomes unbearable, causing pain in my ears and irritation in my numb mind. I am thus forced to painfully open my eye.
With difficulty, my still sleeping body tries to assimilate what is going on around me while this damn noise persists, not allowing me to sleep peacefully. Naruto, lying beside me and holding me in his embrace, wakes up in a jump. He looks out my window, then settles back comfortably, resting his head against my chest moistened with his drool to continue his slumber. Me too, slowly, I observe where his eyes were gazing.
I recognize Shikamaru who finally stops banging on the window; he uses his chakra to stick against the wall of the building in order to reach my window without any balcony. I blink several times and let out an inaudible lament. Curious about his impromptu, early morning visit, I mechanically glance at my dial.
It's almost eleven o'clock.
I slept for over twelve hours.
A shiver of dread slides down my spine as I had planned to continue my activity.
My mind in a daze, my eye fighting to stay open, I try to get up. My arms are shaking; they are so weakened that I seem to weigh tons. I gently push Naruto away who utters a loud complaint while frowning, but nothing more. I'm so dizzy and dazed that the static electricity covering us entirely doesn't even bother me. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I struggle not to let myself fall back. My cognitive musings fail to find a single probable explanation for my current state. Constructing the slightest concrete thought requires monumental efforts from me.
Once standing, I almost collapse, to the point of having to hold myself with the closest piece of furniture. It takes several seconds for my legs to stop wobbling and regain my balance to support myself unaided. Returning my attention to Shikamaru, who is visibly worried and puzzled, I wave to him to join me at the entrance. He nods.
Unsteadily, I walk to the entrance of my apartment. My brain struggles so much to translate the information that I almost hit the wall face first. The few steps seem to me to extend over hundreds of metres. With my clumsy gait, the youngster had plenty of time to get to my door since he's already there when I open it. Shikamaru stares at me as I cannot stop nodding, barely awake.
"Are you okay?" asks the teenager with dark irises, worried.
I take a moment to assimilate what he tells me and I delay answering. "… No … not really," I sigh.
Shikamaru arches an eyebrow with a serious pout.
"I was yelling your name, but you weren't answering me."
A short silence.
"… Sorry. I don't know what's happening to me… My body and my head are all numb. I went to bed early yesterday … and I completely forgot to do my report or settle the matter of the Nine-Tails…"
I almost faint again. Not to fall, I hold on to the wall, making the teenager react, ready to catch me.
"Ahoy! You can barely stand up! Your condition ain't normal, Kakashi-sensei!"
"I know… To be honest … it's the first time I've been so exhausted… Come in, I have to sit down."
I collapse on one of my chairs in my kitchen and I forbid myself with pain from laying my head against the table which calls me with its hypnotic song. As for Shikamaru, he takes the other seat after getting rid of his sandals. I notice that he lays a long dark cloth against the back of the chair before settling down; half-conscious, I hadn't even seen it. He then hands me Godaime's medication, though it takes me a while to grab it since I'm running in slow motion.
"I brought you a more suitable cloak for Naruto. It'll be more comfortable for him."
"I see…"
A silence as I struggle to formulate the words in my head.
"Ever since I feed Naruto my chakra, a great fatigue takes hold of me and pushes me to go to bed," I explain, looking at the void in front of me. "I thought it was due to my chakra being constantly devoured and that I was still weakened … but since he's been here, I've been waking up later and later. I sleep so soundly that I don't even wake up when Naruto takes the opportunity to stick to me in my bed as you saw… I'm afraid I won't wake up if I'm attacked, to be honest."
"Do you think Naruto would be to blame for your exhaustion?"
I nod, letting out a sigh.
"...I think so… I'm doing fine until he sinks his fangs into my arm… I just see that."
"I don't think it has to do with taking your chakra per se since you were fine after the first few times. Somehow, Naruto must be injecting something into you when he bites you. At first glance, he could dose it to his liking."
Mechanically, I observe my arm marked by the canines of my student with a voracious appetite; I touch the wounds in question. Shikamaru's words make sense. Considering the odd venom-like feeling pouring through my flesh like a searing fire with every bite, it's likely. However, if that's really the case, I don't know Naruto's intentions. Since I doubt he means harm to me, he must have a good reason … even if it makes me particularly anxious. I hate to find myself in this situation of similar weakness after repeated use of my Sharingan.
"Only with tests can we be sure," I whisper loud enough for him to hear me.
A little less dead inside than earlier, I return my attention to the youngster.
"I'll see Godaime myself at the end of the day with Naruto to unravel this mystery."
"I'll give her the memo," he tells me before getting up. "Will you survive?"
"It's taking me a while, but I'm better… At least I don't feel like going back to bed or fainting anymore. So I'll say yes."
Shikamaru looks at me, as if to make sure I really am. Then we greet each other before he leaves my apartment. Once alone, I lower my mask to ingest the medicine that will help me stretch … well, I hope.
I sigh heavily. I was far from imagining myself being in this catastrophic state having custody of Naruto… This state which is caused by the strange powers of the sapphire-eyed teenager, moreover. I wonder if I will soon slip into a coma because of him… For the moment, I must speak with Lady Tsunade before the problem worsens and potentially endangers my life. However, before going there, I must check if Naruto is able to communicate in writing and if he still has the Nine-Tails in him.
To wake up, I take a cold shower, thus dispelling the veil of static electricity that was covering me. Gradually, my body and my mind are stretching thanks to this biting cold that seeps under my goosebumps-ridden skin. My head much more alert than before, I get dressed before the blond's imminent awakening.
As I suspected, Naruto is already standing on the other side of the door. He welcomes me with a radiant smile while opening his two arms to me… He begs me for a hug and waits for me to give it back with infinite patience. I don't want to, but I don't want to disappoint him either… Moreover, his good mood is an obligation to give in to his whim in spite of myself. Wearily, I accept by opening my arms to him and Naruto throws himself on me, without the slightest hesitation to embrace me with all his limbs. I sigh, running a hand through his electrically charged hair.
"Good morning, Naruto," I say, separating myself from him.
The teen lets out a silent laugh as his ebony tail jostles with gusto. I would have liked him to sleep longer; just the thought of him staring at me kills my appetite. Although I have to eat, I decide to pass my turn… Of course, I always intend to nibble something when his piercing gaze isn't focused on me.
I offer Naruto a glass of water which he accepts; I don't take long to fill it a second time since he asks for another after swallowing the first one in one gulp. He doesn't need to drink as much as we do, but he looks particularly thirsty to me today. My mouth as dry as the desert of the Land of Wind, I imitate Naruto, turning my back on him. Unlike the first glass, the teenager takes time to finish his second clear drink and sits down at my table to do so. This is the signal for me to test his ability to communicate.
"Stay there, Naruto. I have to get something quickly."
The blond doesn't take his eyes off me, but doesn't follow me when I venture into my room to find a brush and some papers. I sit next to him before putting my things on the table. My student observes with curiosity, sniffs the smells as he always does. Without uttering a sound, I grab a sheet and write his name, which I then show to him.
"Do you understand what I wrote?"
Naruto frowns, crosses his arms, and tilts his head to the right, question marks in his eyes. After a breath, he points to his own person. Surprised, but not surprised, the feral boy doesn't understand what I mean with that.
"As I did with your name, I'd like you to write mine," I say, sliding a sheet in front of him before holding out the brush.
I patiently wait for him to take it, but he hesitates greatly; I raise an eyebrow. He swallows, then, with a trembling hand, grabs the pen. His reaction puzzles me; anxiety and a hint of fear intertwine and eat away at him. I watch his every move carefully.
Naruto approaches the tip of the pen to the paper. The thinner the space becomes, the more his trepidation increases to the point that the slightest pencil stroke is impossible; the brush can't even touch the paper. At that, he starts sweating and his deep breathing quickens to match the rhythm of his raging and trembling hand. Despite his distress, I hope he can do it, that he can succeed, that he can write one katakana or a tiny line. When his left hand grips his neck, aware of what he's about to do next, I place my palm on his shoulder, forcing him out of his imminent meltdown.
The teenager jumps, stares at me with wide, restless eyes as he gaps loudly through his mouth.
"Enough, Naruto," I say, taking the brush from his fingers. "You don't have to if it's too hard for you."
The blond grinds his teeth, curls up in his chair and hides his face by wrapping his legs in his own embrace. He's not sobbing, but he's upset. Naruto sincerely wished to do so; I can feel it. That he doesn't seek comfort in my arms betrays his shame at having disappointed me. Obviously, something prevents him from expressing himself, even in writing. These demons, whatever they are, torment his thoughts and are responsible for his blockage. In addition, that he presses his hand against his throat to hurt himself in order to chase away other suffering worries me…
Not wanting to let him mope any longer, I get behind him and run a hand through his golden mane.
"It's okay, Naruto. I am not mad at you."
Naruto looks at me. I show him a jovial face, hoping to drive away the grey clouds that are hovering over his head. It works since he gives me a shy but sincere smile. If I can silence his anxieties, I don't mind letting him into my personal space. After all, I'm the only one capable of doing it, and his mental and emotional health takes precedence over my own needs.
"Take off your sweater. I have to look at something with you, "I order, clearing the table, in case the said items in question cause further distress to him."
Perplexed, Naruto complies while I put the stuff away from his sight. Coming back, I take him by the arms to stand him up. Aside from a few unnecessary pinwheels with his ebony tail, the teen just stares at me, catching my gaze which forces me to hold my breath. I frantically bat my eyelid to break that awkward eye contact.
"I'd like you to mould your chakra," I ask, performing the tiger seal to accompany my request. "Stimulate as much as you can and keep going until I tell you to stop."
Naruto stares at me with a frown. I cannot translate the emotion that crosses his mind. However, it doesn't persist since he looks at his palms which he brandishes in front of him. He scans his gaze at me, then back to his hands before he decides to clasp them together. Taking a deep, long breath, the blond closes his eyes and frowns. Judging by the time I tested his elemental affinity, Naruto will take some time to manifest the seal on his belly. According to the words of the late Jiraiya, the mark adorning his navel should appear if Naruto uses and stimulates his chakra intensely, although the time in question may vary.
I hope I don't have to wait too long.
Seeing him frown like that, Naruto shows obvious difficulty in controlling his essence, though he won't stop and do as I told him. While waiting for the seal to appear, another detail catches my dark eye.
The ebony mark on his chest changes from black to brilliant blue now glowing; this same phenomenon occurs in the mosaic that adorns his back. At the base of his tail, the blue glow similar to his firefly-like irises scatter into five ever-smaller circles above the prehensile limb which retains its dark colours. These bewitching lights take hold of my gaze to the point of forgetting what I must do. I realize that these marks react when Naruto stimulates and moulds his chakra; since they are always camouflaged under his clothes, this detail slipped through our fingers. These tattoos must react with such intensity when his mane and the fur at the end of his tail become lightning of bluish white and chaotically noisy like a thousand birds.
After a few minutes, the seal refuses to appear, making me frown in concern. Usually, the seal doesn't take long to manifest… Logically, it should have appeared when all the ebony marks started to shine. Was the Nine-Tails really extricated from his body? Again, I doubt; no matter how these guys would have done it, the chances of Naruto surviving are non-existent.
Head up, I think as the blond continues to mould his chakra. It's possible to summon the seal if I infuse my chakra in order to manifest sigils or glyphs invisible to the naked eye. Whether it works, or I have to accept that Kyūbi is no longer in him.
I crouch down and bring my hands together to mould my blue essence. Naruto's body jerks when I place my palm against his stomach. I hold my breath as I infuse a meagre amount of chakra that makes the feral boy flinch.
I sigh of relief when the seal finally appears … but something is wrong, forcing me to observe it more closely.
I recognize the Double Four Symbols Seal, signifying that Naruto does indeed still have the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox within him… However, other sigils have intermingled with Yondaime's masterpiece. First, there's an odd seal that's not entirely unfamiliar to me. I search in my memory, delve into my vast knowledge of the sealing jutsu to determine its name… After much reflection, I can only conclude that it's the Five Elements Seal. Then, I dwell on the third which leaves me somewhat perplexed.
Since this one is at the lower base, I have to briefly remove the clothes, including Naruto's underwear, to observe it in full, thus making the boy twitch. The seal extends to his pubis, but fortunately doesn't go lower than a few blond hairs. My student's face is scarlet-red and his arms like his legs are trembling; at that, the tail ruffles.
'Sorry, Naruto,' I whisper to myself before returning my attention to the third seal.
Again, it's an odd sigil with a shape that almost reminds me of some pentagram, with symbols extending down the centre, up and down, in a straight line. Other than a brief mention in a manual, I don't know much about it, just that it acts like a stubborn and hard to pick lock.
Obviously, the existence of these two seals together drastically blocks the terrifying powers of Kyūbi. The red chakra is unable to resonate with that of Naruto, probably plunging the Nine-Tailed into unconsciousness. Moreover, it completely makes the seal invisible, even if he moulds a good amount of chakra; I had to bring it up manually, after all. Those in charge absolutely didn't want to have Kyūbi get in their way. Even if he wanted to, I doubt Naruto would be able to use the red chakra, or even communicate with the demon. This explains the difficulty the sapphire-eyed boy has in controlling his chakra. I wonder if that's the reason why Naruto sports a veil of static electricity … but it's just as likely to be natural for this Naruto. However, this raises another observation.
His healing abilities are tied to his new devourer condition.
But one thing is certain, Kyūbi is still sealed in his body.
And its powers will be neutralized as long as the seals last.
A second realization beads a cold sweat. The exceptional elaboration of these two seals means that they knew full well what they were doing; such a level of information about him is terrifying… To believe that there might be one or more people infiltrated in the village…
When the marks return to their usual black colour, the seal on his belly disappears. I conclude that Naruto no longer stimulates his chakra. Moreover, he hurries to pull up his underpants and jogging. I manage to hear his heart fluttering in panic as his irises fiercely avoid me. When I get up, Naruto slaps his hands over his flushed face. My cheekbones overheat in spite of myself; I unfortunately had an inappropriate gesture towards him … although it was necessary.
"...Sorry to embarrass you, Naruto," I flatly say, running a hand through my silver hair.
Naruto sinks into an unsettling stillness when he crouches down to curl up into a ball, keeping his palms glued to his face; even his ever-expressing tail froze. I'm afraid that any physical contact on my part will ignite the powder. I can only wait for the blond to get over his own emotions possessing him.
"I'll take you out today. As soon as you've calmed down, come to me."
Taciturn, the teenager doesn't react to my words. As for me, being unable to do anything for him, I eat something and put on my shinobi outfit… Meanwhile, I am tormented by Naruto's contradictory sensitivity and shyness. Sometimes indifferent, sometimes embarrassed to want to hide to disappear. While he undressed the other day without any shame in front of me, he's currently and drastically overreacting to this short exposure of an area relatively close to his intimacy… It seems that if I am the one making the gesture, it bothers him, but not the other way around. Touching me with his tail is fine, but if I brush it even slightly, he petrifies on the spot. Likewise with his nudity, exposing himself is fine, but if it's me, even a bit, I upset him to roll into a ball.
I don't know why his actions are a paradox and I don't care. I have to push the teenager to do them on his own so as not to provoke other similar reactions.
Unfortunately, deep inside me, I know that's impossible.
I will end up embarrassing him again at some point.
I just hope these inappropriate gestures don't evolve his feelings of unhealthy affection for me.