Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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Chapter 5

The Truth

The Konoha shinobi ran swiftly through the passages of the underground facility as they crumbled around them. "Damn! The exit has collapsed!" Naruto cursed as they came to a dead end where the ceiling had caved in.

"If it's going to be like that, I'll use my Rasengan and-" Naruto began, stepping forward.

"Wait!" Ino stopped him. "If you mess up, you'll make the ceiling collapse!"

"Then what should we do?" he asked her.

"Everyone, stand back!" Anko said authoritatively. She bit her thumb and summoned an enormous snake. They climbed in its mouth at her urging, and the creature turned to burrow through the rock to deposit them safely at the surface.

"We're saved," Naruto sighed, as they stepped back on to firm ground at the edge of the ocean.

"Anko-sensei?!" Ino cried, and the genin turned to see her clutching her shoulder in pain.

"This isn't the time to sit around." she said, ignoring their concern and her own pain. "It's already dawn."

They looked at her, alarmed as they realised what that meant. "The convoy is in danger!"

"We have to go after them now!" Naruto exclaimed. He turned and pointed to a boat floating at the nearby shore. "Let's use that!"

"Alright, let's go!" Anko agreed.

But when they reached the harbour, the ships had already left. The ninja realised that they must have already set sail, and changed course to try to catch up to the ships before it was too late.

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The convoy was already in trouble when they caught up to it. A number of ships were damaged, and the crews were in the water under attack from one of Amachi's henchmen. Anko nodded to Shino for him to deal with the man – it was the same one he had been battling before – and headed to the main ship to face Amachi herself. Ino used the distraction Shino provided to try help the crew members climb on to the boat.

"You shouldn't do such evil things," Anko called down to Amachi. He looked up in surprise to see her standing by the prow of the lead ship. "We meet again, pervert! Sorry, but I still have a few things to ask you."

Naruto came at that moment to try persuade Isaribi to stop helping the men, and she knocked him off the boat into the water. Amachi made to follow them, but Anko leapt to land in a relaxed crouch on the rail in front of him.

"Your opponent is over here," she smirked as he backed away a step. "You said that Orochimaru left that research facility half a month ago, didn't you?" She tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing. "Just where was he headed off to?"

"Who knows?" Amachi shrugged lightly. "Come to think of it, he had a child with him. That child was pretty great, unlike you."

Anko stared at him blankly. "Uchiha Sasuke."

"I wonder what you were missing to be thrown away like that?" Amachi said slyly, taunting her.

Anko stared for a moment longer, then went at him with her kunai. After a few moments of sparing, Anko laughed. "For a medical ninja, you're pretty good!" She was enjoying the fighting, because it let her forget the sly man's words. She wouldn't let them affect her ... not now.

"Stop joking around," he growled, looking aside quickly to see how his creation was faring. He didn't want her to let the boy's words stop her.

"For you to be looking away," Anko smirked, "you must be pretty relaxed." She knew he was worried about Naruto stopping Isaribi from following his commands. That boy ... if anyone can make her see what is right and wrong, it is him.

Amachi threw his weapons at her, and then a bottle of liquid. Anko deflected the weapons and shattered the glass, and was enveloped in a cloud of foul-smelling gas. "D-Damn it!" she cursed, feeling the medicine entering her lungs and causing black mist to cross her vision. She couldn't help falling to the deck, unconscious.

"I'm just confident in myself," Amachi said smugly. He leapt away to deal with Naruto and Isaribi, and Anko could do nothing to stop him.

When Anko woke a few minutes later, it was to see Naruto being held inside a giant bubble of water that seemed to be some strange creature, slowly suffocating. Damn, I ache all over ... fucking medic nin, I'll get him back for that trickery!

"Naruto ..." she gasped, and then leapt towards the bubble with a kunai in each hand, but merely was bounced back from the surface of the water creature. She landed back on the deck. "Damn."

"You fool! You think that would work?" the voice came. It sounded like Amachi but ... So he's a monster too? He experimented on himself? The man was now a green creature, with fins and gills like Isaribi but even more alien with huge red eyes.

He turned to Isaribi. "I'm the only one who can save you," He continued to try to convince the girl that he would make her human to get her obedience, but Naruto had got through to her. She raised her fists to fight the man who can changed her into a monster, who had used her.

Anko felt the sudden spike in abnormal chakra. "What ...?" she looked at Naruto, only to see him blast his way out of the bubble with sheer force of dark red chakra. The boy crouched on the ocean surface, with whisker marks deep and pronounced, fingers like claws, fangs and slit red eyes. Kyuubi ... Anko thought in amazement. That boy ... He has harnessed the demon's chakra? Amazing.

"Naruto?" Isaribi said hesitantly.

"He's the same as you." Anko came up behind the girl, who had transformed back into her mostly-human state.

"The same as me?" she asked softly.

"Yes." Anko replied. "Sealed within Naruto is the Kyuubi that used to attack villagers. And there was a period of time when he was called a monster." Anko remembered it, and knew it still went on. The villagers and many shinobi blamed Naruto for their loses during the Kyuubi attack. Damn fools ... he is only a boy. I know that now more than ever, though I never doubted it. She knew what it was like to be shunned, and had always felt for him.

Anko turned away to watch the boy. "And even so, he did his best to get everyone to acknowledge him." Those damn pranks he would pull ... and look at him now. Red chakra flames surrounded Naruto, and Anko knew if the villagers saw him now they would be more sure than ever that he was a demon. But Anko knew – the incident with Isaribi proved – that Naruto was no demon. He was merely a boy, a shinobi, who cared about those around him.

A similar line of thought occupied Isaribi. "So what he said was true," she whispered, tears falling as she remembered him telling her that he understood her pain.

Anko watched on in amazement as Naruto attacked the transformed Amachi. She stayed next to Isaribi, in case she needed to protect her should Amachi decide to target them. So fast! Naruto flew at the scientist, seeming to appear from every direction. But eventually after pounding him into the water, Naruto's demon chakra faded and he collapsed on to the surface of the ocean in exhaustion.

"This is bad," Anko started forward after him, but Isaribi beat her to it. The girl dived into the water after him, and Anko just smiled. I'll leave it to you.

She brought him to the surface, and Anko was almost surprised to notice how much relief she felt when he started coughing. She looked around quickly to see that her other genin were also fine. Shino was clinging to a rock out of breath, and Ino was still helping the sailors. They worked together to take out the last shinobi as he went after Shino again. My genin, Anko laughed at her thoughts, Well, I suppose I've grown attached to them. They aren't half bad.

Anko noticed that Amachi had come to the surface, in his human form again. He was turning to swim away quietly when she sent out her shadow snakes. The man looked at her in surprise. "Looks like I caught a big fish!" she smirked. Her smile turned more feral as she stared at him, enjoying his fear and frustration. "Were you trying to escape by yourself?"

Standing on that piece of rock at the edge of the ocean a few moments later, the three genin, Isaribi, and Anko looked down at the bound man who had committed so many evils. "Once we return to the village you will be punished for all your numerous crimes so prepare yourself!" she told him sternly.

Amachi looked away. "It's not over yet."

"You jerk!" Naruto growled, raising his fist threateningly, "Looks like I didn't hit you hard enough!"

Amachi chuckled. "That's too bad,"

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed. The ground started to rumble beneath them, and they all looked around in surprise. The water a way away from them sprayed up into the sky.

"The Sea Boss won't die, it's immortal!" Amachi laughed smugly. Sure enough, the water monster arose again with a roar. "As long as the Sea Boss is within this infinite sea, you guys will lose."

Naruto walked up to him. "Shut up!" he shouted, bashing him on the head. Amachi reeled and Anko had to stop herself from laughing. She watched with interest as Naruto performed a few hand seals and leapt on to the ocean surface. I will intervene if he needs it, she thought to herself, but I think he can handle this. He has grown that much.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Naruto shouted the summon, and the smoke soon cleared to reveal Gamabunta, the Toad Boss. The interaction between the two was amusing, to say the least, but it was obvious to her that the great Toad was fond of the little fox boy.

"To not even be able to control his own summons ..." Amachi said disparagingly, watching as the frog leapt around on the water as the salt irritated his skin with Naruto clinging on. "If you don't let him go he will be swallowed by the Sea Boss and end up like a slug dissolved in salt."

"What? A slug?" Gamabunta repeated around his pipe, insulted. "Naruto, I'll lend you a hand for now, but I'm going to smack you around afterwards."

"Really?!" Naruto shouted happily, but slightly concerned about what the 'smacking around' would mean.

"I have to show them my strength after being underestimated like that."

The toad attacked swiftly, and it was not really a long fight. Gamabunta was an experienced and clever fighter, and soon had the Sea Boss covered in oil lit by Naruto. Rain that had been the Sea Boss fell on to the watchers.

"They did it!" Ino exclaimed.

"Well done!" Anko said proudly. That boy ... he will go far.

Gamabunta chucked Naruto high into the sky as punishment for the extra warts from the salt water, and then left. He really did seem fond of the boy, though with Naruto's personality it was hard to dislike him.

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The sunset-painted sky looked down on the Konoha nin as they stood by the boat that would take them back to the mainland. Amachi was once again tied up, and despondent. Just the way I like him.

"The Sea Boss was exterminated," Anko told him, "Amachi. As a prisoner of war, you will return with us to Konoha."

Amachi growled, turning his head to Isaribi. "What are you doing Isaribi? You've got to fight them!"

The girl seemed taken aback for a moment, and then her resolve grew. "I don't want to." she said firmly.

"Did you forget?" he asked, "The only person who can return you to your human form is me!"

"At this rate, even my heart will turn into a monster." she replied angrily, to Naruto's encouragement.

Amachi started cackling insanely, as he insulted her yet again. "Well, I can't say I knew of a way to get your old form back anyway." he seemed to take delight in her anguish as he continued, "That's why I told you that. You were supposed to be dissected."

Naruto made to hit him again, but Anko stopped him and ignored his questioning look. "Give it up." she told Naruto, "When we return to the village he will face harsh judgement." Amachi started to laugh at the Kyuubi boy's frustrated expression. Anko leant forward to whisper threateningly in his ear, "So, should I have you tell me here?" She cut his smirk in two as he sobered at the aggression in her voice. "Where did Orochimaru go?"

Amachi turned away angrily, "Do you think I'd know that kind of thing?"

Anko pulled on the ropes holding him, tightening them harshly. "For a person who was thrown away by Orochimaru, it's better for you to always be chasing after him," he mocked her with gritted teeth. "I'm different from you. Having been left in charge of the experiments, I could eventually surpass even Orochimaru." he finished smugly.

Anko pulled back a bit, putting an innocent expression on her face. "Oh?" She swung her fist and slugged him in the face before he could even blink, knocking him out.

"What?!" Naruto shouted angrily, "Unfair! Only you get to?!"

"Okay, the mission is complete!" Anko said cheerfully, ignoring Naruto, "Let's go home."

"Unfair, I'll just give one-" Naruto began, rolling up his sleeves.

"Stop it!" Anko said sternly. They were almost taken aback by her seriousness, but it worked and the boy calmed down. He understood that she would not allow him to push the scientist any further. Not now.

Anko turned away from them, to face the sea ... and a certain island.

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Anko steered the boat towards the island, her mind racing and heart pounding. She couldn't hide her fear of what she would find there ... well, she couldn't hide that fear from herself. Fear of what her memories would reveal ... fears about what her past really hid.

That's Jiroujima that Amachi mentioned, she thought quietly to herself. Do the shards of my memories that are the fountain of my nightmares still remain?

She reached the shore almost too soon, and stepped carefully on to the island. She walked carefully through the woods, towards some unknown place. Her feet led her path, and she couldn't help glancing around as her anxiety and determination grew. I will discover what happened here.

She reached an abandoned series of buildings, but her feet lead her to one in particular. She looked at the door, a broken rusty lock still on it. This ... this is the source of it. She reached out and pulled the lock off, but it took a few moments more before she could swing the door open with trembling hands. She stepped inside the small room within, closing the two sets of doors behind her so that she was left in darkness.

Anko stepped into the centre of the room, and looked around at the boxes surrounding its edges, and studied even the walls for any hint of recognition. It was familiar ... so familiar ...

A pulse from her seal hit her strongly then, and Anko grimaced, grabbing her shoulder. She breathed harshly as the burn continued, not easing in the least. It was fighting her ... fighting her efforts to break the block Orochimaru had placed on her memory. The seal ... it must be tied in with my memory loss ... what happened here? I have to knowShe straightened, ignoring the pain and fighting through it, fighting for the memories that were but a breath away.

...o..o.o..o...

She saw herself, kneeling on the earth floor of the room. Her eyes were wide with fear and pain and ... betrayal. Orochimaru's fangs were in her neck, in her flesh. His mouth was against the skin of her shoulder, his hair against her cheek. Her blood dripped from his fangs as he pulled back, and the wound turned into a three-tear seal that was pure fire in her flesh.

She clutched her shoulder, slim frame shaking as she turned to her trusted sensei for explanation. "Orochimaru-sama! It hurts," she forced through gritted teeth, "What are you trying to-?"

The door opened and her sensei and his lackey left ... he left her there, in pain, with only his cruel chuckle to linger a moment and keep her company, her last view of his back. The doors closed behind him, leaving her in darkness. Her heart was beating so loudly ... beating fire through her veins and poison along her nerves. The young girl cried out, falling to the rough floor under the assault of the thing her master had placed on her. She curled around herself, thrashing and crying out in agony, but no one came. She screamed and tore at the ground with her fingers, lashing out at phantoms her breaking mind showed her, but no one came. No one came.

Anko watched her younger self, as she screamed on the edge of death at the whim of her master.

The girl had stopped moving. Her eyes were wide open, unseeing in the aftermath of the curse seal's poison. She looked more dead than alive, more of a doll than a living human.

The door swung open, to reveal two figures. The one walked to stand by her head, looking down but she did not react. "She's alive," he said in surprise.

The other man came to stand by her as well. They looked down at their experiment with some satisfaction. "She's a lucky child, isn't she?" the other man hissed. "So out of all ten, only one survived? This is Sarigi's smallest harvest."

"What about the rest?" the other questioned.

"It doesn't seem as if there is a reason to stay here any more, so..." the man mused.

"But the experiment is still -"

"Do what you like with that little branch." Orochimaru said disinterestedly, "I have no use for them any more." He turned away, only to be stopped by a small hand around his ankle. The Sannin looked down at the young, hurt, pleading face with no expression on his own. No regret.

"Why are you doing this..." both young and old Anko asked, pain lacing her words, "even though I have always respected you?!"

Orochimaru turned and knelt down before his student with his lips curled in a cruel smirk. He lifted Anko's chin, caressing her skin with his fingers, with his own face a mere breath away. He spoke while looking her directly in the eyes, allowing her to see fully the evil that lay in his.

"You are lacking ... the will to seek power." his eyes widened as his insane passion gripped him, "Vengence. Hate. And everything else." Her mouth trembled, and he licked his lips at the force of her fear. "But that's right. Just letting you live may be of some use to me." He studied her face, his features twisting as he seemed to consider what use she could be.

"Hey."

"Come with me."

The words rang in Anko's mind. Her heartbeat increased audibly, beating ...

To be with her sensei-

faster ...

To be of use to him-

faster ...

To have power, to have-

Orochimaru watched her, Amachi watched her, both smiling, both-

To be with her betraying sensei, who did not care for her-

slower ...

To be used by him-

slower ...

To be twisted into an insane, inhuman creature who lusts for power, like him-

She narrowed her eyes, and looked away, denying his offer. Denying him

"Well then," Orochimaru sighed, getting up and turning away unconcerned, "I'll find a more excellent child."

Both men left – left her kneeling on the patch of ground that was suddenly thrown into sunlight on the opening of the doors. She looked down at her clenched hands, as they slammed shut the doors and threw her into darkness again. Locking her away until they could deal with her. Until he could wipe her memory clean. Until he could leave her behind for Amachi to do what perverted evils he would with. Until she could escape before the scientist could touch her, and be found by the ANBU on a deserted beach. She had used up her worth.

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Anko opened her eyes with a start, coming out of her memories. She looked at the floor, where she had lain so long ago. "So that's what happened." she said quietly. She turned away, walking back to open the doors into the sunshine. She squinted as she walked out into the sunlight, the daylight. "It's bright."

The world seemed to have changed in the wake of her revelations, in the wake of the truth. Everything seemed so much brighter ... so much more colourful and alive. I wasn't abandoned. It seemed like a miracle.

I chose ... I chose it myself.

Anko smiled. She was still recovering memories, but she had found out what to her was the most important thing. Orochimaru hadn't abandoned her – she had chosen to abandon him. Maybe I'm not like him after all.

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"Geez, where is sensei?" Naruto grumbled as they stood by the boat. "She can't stay still at all-"

"I can't believe you're saying that!" Ino exclaimed. They had a mock fight, but Isaribi soon interrupted. She would go with them to Konoha, to be treated by the medical nin there and hopefully turned back to normal.

"Hey! You guys!" a voice came. The four turned to see their absent sensei on board the boat. "What are you doing? The boat's going to leave!"

"When did she-?" Ino began, bemused.

"Don't say 'What are you doing?'!" Naruto shouted angrily, "We were waiting for you for a long time!"

Anko put her hands together in apology, smiling sheepishly at them, "My bad, my bad!"

They soon stood on the deck of the boat as it cut through the ocean water, enjoying the sunshine and breeze. Gulls followed the ship, adding their peaceful cries to the crash and sigh of the sea.

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed happily, "We're going back to Konoha!"

"Geez," grumbled Ino, "from beginning to end you keep getting worked up ... You probably don't know the meaning of 'tired', right? Poor Sakura ..."

Anko couldn't help laughing at their antics. Her heart, and soul, felt so much lighter. I'm glad. I'm glad I came. I'm glad I had these genin as subordinates. I'm glad ... I'm glad I'm alive.

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A/N: This is the end of the story as it follows the anime, but I think Anko is too stubborn to roll over and accept anything this easily, so after this it's all my own ideas and we're going into AU. I hope you like it, but if you don't that's fine too. I'll be updating the next two chapters within the next week, but won't be able to update for at least three weeks after that.

Oh, and I promise there will be more Orochimaru really soon! Thanks again for the reviews (especially BloodRedShadows!) they make my day. Cheers for now:)