Disclaimer: Ya…not my story, but Drakus and his new little friend, mine.

A/N: Sorry about the tardiness again, I blame Bioshock 2…and Mass Effect 2…

I will say this, I don't remember the last time I had a geek-gassam as epic as the one when I beat Bioshock 2. I don't know why, but just the way it was narrated and finished left SO much potential for the future, to note, I've only beaten it on the 'good' path thus far, so for all I know the message is going to be vastly different when I get around to playing it again. I'm going to try and play it as a bad guy, but I don't think I can do it, I just can't kill kids…even in games…unless their properly annoying.

Journeys: Shadow of the Leaf

Chapter 12

Sarutobi was at a loss.

His day had been going well enough, he had helped with getting Naruto and Drakus sorted, and a favorable encounter with a foreign diplomat, and he had even managed to get all his paperwork done.

All before three. A good day.

Now , if he could trust his eyes, there was a cyclone that had formed in the Forest of Death, without a cloud in the sky, followed by a chakra pulse that he hadn't felt in many years.

One that belonged to his former student, Orochimaru.

The Hokage had already sent out his Anbu to investigate and was cursing his age not for the first time in recent memory. He remembered when he was a young man, on the field of battle, someone that could best any opponent in the world either through planning or straight battle, he had earned his title of The God of Shinobi. Now here he was, relying on ANBU to do everything for him like some kind of invalid!

He had just resolved himself to get back into shape when the bear masked ANBU appeared in his office and seemed to be…shaking?

"Hokage-sama…"

"Report."

"My Lord, upon arriving at the scene we were met by genin in training Tenten who seems to have been there since the beginning of the anomaly. According to her the barrier was erected by Drakus-sama."

"Drakus created that?"

"Hai, sir, upon finding the source of the barrier we made to disrupt the technique when we witnessed what looked to be a pitched battle going on inside. Sir…it looked as though…Anko was attacking them."

The elderly ninja's eyes narrowed at the stylized mask, "Explain. Anko would never attack a fellow ninja of the leaf."

"Sir…permission to speak freely."

"Granted."

"Sir, we are not even completely certain that it WAS Anko." Sarutobi arched an eyebrow at that. The special jonin was rather easy to recognize. "From what we could tell, it looked like her body had been…altered. Sir, I've never seen anything like it. She looked like…like…"

"SPEAK Bear!"

The ANBU stiffened as the stony face of his leader became a mask of fury, "She looked like Orochimaru Sir!"

Sarutobi felt his blood run cold. He had been hearing rumors that the snake had found a way to take over other bodies, could this be it?

"What was he…it…doing?"

"It looked to be engaged in an attack against the new ambassador as well as Drakus' son."

The elderly man's face paled at the thought of Naruto fighting his former student. "Naruto-kun…where was Drakus in all of this?"

"Drakus was engaged in his own battle. Sir…I don't know what he was fighting…but I can say it's something even you would have…issues with."

He could tell that whatever this creature was, this is what had seemed to chill Bear to his core, no easy task for one of his senior ANBU. "Bear…Takeshi…what's happening out there, what was he fighting."

The ANBU froze at hearing his name but understood that now, his leader was asking as a colleague, and a friend. With a shaking hand he pulled his mask up to cover his hair as he turned haunted eyes to the elderly leader. "Sir…I don't know."

Sarutobi's eyes widened at that, this was a man that had lived through the last great war, had , survived the Kyuubi attack, and had been on the front lines as an ANBU captain for the last ten years. This man, quite possibly, had seen everything. "Sir, whatever it was fighting, it had some kind of a powerful ginjutsu…S-Sir I saw my…my little Achika…it looked like he was killing Achika!" the Hokage choked on his pipe hearing that, he knew the man, there was no way he would kill a child, and told him as much, dropping a hand on the man's shoulder as the leader tried to calm his subordinate.

"B-But I know it wasn't her, it couldn't be, I dropped her off at school before my shift, there was no way. When…when he went for the killing blow, Cat called out for Hayate, Dog was saying something over and over…I didn't hear him…Drakus…when he ran the thing through with the spear…it changed sir, I've never seen anything like it…it wasn't human Sir."

"Was it a summon?"

"No Sir…it was some kind of monster, it-it had these…claws for hands," the shocked agent made a pinching motion with his hands, like a crab, "They were sharp Sir, I've only seen wind techniques cut like that, even when it fell it's claw cut through a stone as simply as parchment. They were moving so fast…"

"So you came here to report…who is monitoring the situation, and what steps have you taken to breech the field?"

Bear, having come back to himself a bit, slipped the mask back down, "Sir, Upon arriving and witnessing the fighting we attempted to breach the barrier with earth techniques to no avail, even as they were forming they seemed to be ground down to sand again. Water was frozen due to the speeds and pressure, and then shattered. Fire would have done little as would have lightning, and only Asuma-sama has a wind affinity potentially strong enough to open a hole. Sir, as much as it pains us to say it, we need you at the scene, Dog believes that your sealing arts may be the solution to this, as it seems that's what Drakus-san used to create the barrier in the first place."

Sarutobi gave a curt nod before throwing off the robes and hat, under, his casual clothing of a rather simple, blue with white trim kimono. The God of Shinobi took a moment to focus his chakra, causing an intricate series of stitches to illuminate throughout the clothing before he bit his thumb and ran it down the inseam before he was engulfed in smoke. Bear watched in surprise as the elderly man stepped from the smoke, clad in black battle armor, it was out of date, but he knew that with the Third's knowledge of seals it was probably stronger than the walls of Konoha themselves. With a glance to one another the pair vanished in a whirlwind of leaves, his completed paperwork flitting throughout the office.

Naruto's jaw was hanging limply as he saw Anko's form writhing at the base of the tree. A part of his mind noted the sounds of Konan retching into the bushes a few paces away, he couldn't blame her, if he hadn't had experienced what he had in their travels he would probably be in the same situation.

Anko, wasn't Anko anymore.

At least, not just Anko.

He fought the urge to slap himself, the only time he had seen anything like this was…There Anko lay, her back bowed almost to the breaking point as she seemed to be…tearing herself apart.

Once finely manicured nails tore into her flesh as something seemed to be…moving…under her skin, as a section of her flesh split Naruto felt his blood run cold. A silted, yellow eye rolled and locked on him, its pupil narrowing as it seemed to lock onto Naruto. Slowly, much to the duo's horror, more seemed to come forth, all sprouting from the seal on her neck that was now glowing a pale blue, It's head seemed to be pushing through her skin as though a soggy tissue paper, and much to the pairs shock that was as far as human as it looked. From its neck down it looked to be…a snake? Anko's hands were pulling at what seemed to be that other, merged half, trying to rid it from her faster. Brown, pupil-less eyes locked onto his off-blue and through pained tears choked out, "Please…help me…"

Naruto was moving before he even knew what he was doing and lashed out, his right hand catching the creature by its throat as his other hand wrapped around a writhing body and pulled. Long stands of flesh seemed to cling to it as it fought to stay where it had been as Konan moved in and took Anko by the ankles, pulling just as hard to try and get this thing away from her.

As the things chest fully came into view Naruto had to fight back the urge to let go as the thing started screeching at him, cursing for interfering. With one final, titanic pull and a sickeningly wet sucking sound the snake creature came free. Anko curled into Konan's lap whimpering as the wounds began to close as the seal's energies started to expend themselves, but the hole at the heart of the seal refused to close as blood poured from her shoulder. Konan ripped the sash from her waist and pressed it to the wound in a desperate attempt to stem the blood flow as Naruto struggled to hold the serpent like creature as it howled at him in rage.

"Curse you boy! What did you do! What were those needles!"

Naruto wrapped the creature in his wires and tightened, forcing the creature to stop it's wiggling less it be torn apart. "You don't need to know teme, what are you!?"

Baleful yellow eyes locked on him before it gave a wicked smile, "Now now, that's not how this works, I ask a question, you ask a question."

"Or…" Naruto gave his pinky finger a twitch and the tip of the thing's tail fell to the ground with a gout of odd, purple blood.

"You bastard! You insolent wretch. Do your worse! You can never make me talk!"

Naruto's eyes narrowed before a cruel smile of his own formed on his features, "Oh, don't worry, I don't have to make you talk, we just have to wait for my father."

The creature wearing Orochimaru's face somehow seemed to pale further before it smirked, "Let him do his worst! I don't know anything of importance."

Naruto arched an eyebrow at that, "Oh, I think you may be wrong there. You know more than enough about the seal placed on Anko, and how we can counter it."

The snake let out a snort, "You've already countered it, fool! Look! I'm here, not there."

The boy's features became that of feral mischief, "Don't worry, I'm sure there is much, much more we can glean from that wonderful little mind of yours."

Another twitch and another section of the thing's tail fell to the ground as it's scream ripped through the forest, and despite the pain she was in, Anko smiled.

Drakus' hand was still twitching, wanting of its own accord to draw a weapon at the sight of the creature that stepped from the portal. He had been more than a little surprised when the odd, black bladed sword and rent the sky before hearing the voice trying to placate him. Slowly, as the opening began to close, the being came forward.

The creature before him was radiating power, so much it had every part of the warrior within him screaming to act, and it was taking every ounce of his will to keep that part subdued, this person was asking for peace, and he would grant it.

For now.

His eyes ran along its form, it was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was obviously female and stood a bit taller than Anko did, but that's where easy comparison ended. She was wearing a jet black set of armor that seemed to both protect, and accent, her curves. The steel styled not unlike one would see in western cultures not unlike his own, though far less bulky. While not an hourglass figure, it wasn't something you would easily forget either, although that would probably be due more to her…accessories. The woman was pale, but not in the almost sickening way that Orochimaru had been, but it was clear she hadn't been in the sun much in her time. Jet black hair was cropped short, almost boyish but still held a bit of style, framing her face nicely and bringing out the odd, violet eyes she had.

Again his eyes drifted to her additions, after all, it wasn't everyday that you saw a woman with two sets wings, each sporting jet black feathers.

"And you are?"

The woman chuckled lightly as she sheathed her sword, the scabbard at her hip kicking out bright orange sparks as she did so with a practiced hand. Not giving him much of a chance to see the sword, though it was obvious it was similarly themed long sword. "Now now Drakus, you should know better than to ask for a name, such things have great power."

He smirked slightly as he crossed his arms, "Indeed. Then what shall I call you?"

The woman began to slowly stroll to the runic path that would lead to the central array, "You may call me Saber for now. Well done dispatching the wretches by the way, they can be ever so troublesome."

He scowled at the woman's back as she knelt to study his work, "You were watching."

"Yes, there is very little we do not watch, eternity can be so…boring, as I'm sure your coming to understand."

He tensed at that, "You seem to have me at a great disadvantage…Tell me, why are you here, and why shouldn't I dispatch you back to wherever you came from?"

Her face suddenly lost its playfulness and took on a stony edge. "I understand you impatience, however is it wise to threaten someone you know so little about?"

"You possess great power, and you have yet to state a purpose for being here, all you seem to be doing is studying my work, and employing a bit of conversation."

She laughed again, coming before the man and patting him on his arm, "Now now Drakus, aren't those reasons enough for a pleasant encounter?"

He smirked at that and gave a slight nod, "Yes, but not when there are more…pressing tasks."

"You mean Anko?"

As fast as the smirk had formed his eyes became that of steel, "What do you know of it?"

She gave a slight shrug, causing her wings to ruffle a bit before she let them settle about her like a cloak, "Only that if you do not accept my help, she will die."

The winged woman flinched as she suddenly found the man on her, his great hands clasping her shoulders. "How, how can you help?"

She took one his hands in hers before yanking it painfully from her shoulder, her scowl enough to melt steel, "NEVER Lay your hands on me, without my permission. Know your place mortal!"

The two glared at each other for several long moments before both smiling, then laughing. "You know girl, not many could stare me down without flinching."

"The same could be said about me boy. Now then, you have to know that altering the seal like you did will have repercussions."

He gave a curt nod, "Indeed, but it was the only option, the daemons were killing her by degrees."

She let out a sigh before agreeing with him, "Yes, but the way you went about it was wrong, your still thinking with your old life Drakus, this world does not bow to your laws."

Drakus eyed the woman for a time before letting out a tired sigh of his own. "Yes, I know. I tried to incorporate their sealing arts into the array with…limited results. There was simply too little information about the curse seal and how to deal with it. Now tell me, Saber, what are you here for?"

The woman propped herself against one of the trees before crossing her arms, "You, I trust, are beginning to understand what it is that the one known as Orochimaru is attempting to do, yes?"

Drakus seemed to pick his words carefully for a time, unsure how much information to give up, "I believe so. He's attempting to find a way to make a 'perfect' body as a host, be it though bindings or genetic engineering, he does not seem to care, and if he is dipping into the ruinous powers…then we are all in danger. Tell me, do you know which of them he is trying to ally himself with? I doubt it is that of the tempter. He does not offer the kinds of delights that Orochimaru is seeking."

"You are correct, and I think you know which of them he is cavorting with even without my input, after all, he has been hunting you for almost all your life."

Drakus cursed under his breath before glancing to where his son would be. "How long."

"Such things cannot be known. However, I sense that for once, you will not be running."

He gave a mirthless laugh before nodding, "Your right, I have more to protect this time than in most instances. Now, as pleasing as this conversation is, you said that Anko will die without your help, explain."

She squared her shoulders, understanding that the pleasantries are largely over. "Yes, and she will, your act of separating the spirits from her and her body has left a void in her soul. The nature of that seal is meant to make them interdependent on each other. Thankfully Anko fought as hard as she did against him, thus allowing you even the opportunity to even try and remove the seal. If were anyone else, I doubt it would have gone so well. Now, this is something that can be fixed, if the spirit that was originally there would not be so detrimental, however, even a benevolent spirit would be twisted with that shard of Orochimaru's soul corrupting it."

"Shard?"

"Yes, Orochimaru has found a way to put a portion of his soul into the seals, its one method for him to eventually make his 'jumps' from host to host. Slowly the soul shard will use the bound spirit's energy to turn the target into something more…accommodating for him."

"I see…forgive me for saying this, how will this help Anko?"

"No, it's quite alright, you see, this is where I come in. With the daemons banished, there is a void left within her. I have had a vested interest in this case for…quite some time, and will offer to take their place."

He arched an eyebrow at that, "I sense a 'but' coming on."

She giggled at that, giving him pause, he didn't think a spirit like this would act in such a way. "You wouldn't be wrong in assuming such a thing. You know what I am, yes?"

He sent an appraising eye over her again, "If I had to guess, I would say a fallen angel of some form, though your kind usually has their wings taken as part of their punishment."

"Correct, however, as part of our atonement we are allowed to start earning them back, after a fashion... I currently am hoping to fulfill such a task, and with luck earn my next set of wings."

"And Anko is one of these tasks?"

She placed a finely mailed finger on her jaw before casting him a mischievous gaze, "Let's just say that she's a part of it. What do you say? If you help me in a future task, I'll help. You will not only save her life, you will be helping me earn back my grace as well as making her stronger than she can imagine!"

His eyes hardened at that, "What do you mean, stronger? What are you going to do to her!"

She raised both hands in a placating gesture, "Peace, peace. Understand, the seal did offer her great power, but it was something that would damage her, what I am offering is unrestricted access to my power, so long as I deem it is being used for the proper reasons. The seal will spread, and change her much like it would anyone else, with none of the negative side-effects, like the heightened aggressions and the lust for power."

Drakus gave a slow nod at that just as a scream ripped through the forest, snapping their heads to the source of the less than manly screech. "It seems as though they have finally separated, Drakus, we have little time, Anko is bleeding badly."

He gave another stiff nod and pulled the dagger from his bracer before moving to the path and altering a few of the runes slightly before the purple aura changed to a pale green and allowed the pair to move to the central array. Taking a moment to draw his axe he hung it from his belt before kneeling to change the runes on the other path.

"Saber, be ready, I don't know what we'll find here."

The angel nodded before drawing her sword, her wings rising so that at the barest moment she could take to the sky. He made the last cut in the ground and, rather than the green aura flaring up this one was a deep orange before there was a loud snapping sound, as though a great tree just broke at the trunk and the small clearing was suddenly filled with the four people. The large blond was kneeling on a creature's neck and seemed to be enjoying taunting it, while Konan was still doing the best she could to keep Anko from bleeding out. His son looked up to see Drakus and the odd woman who looked to be poised to deliver a killing blow to the man.

"Dad!"

He raised a hand to his son and waved slightly, trying to calm him. "No worries Naruto, she's here to help. Is that it?" Naruto nodded and took the creature by the neck, hauling it up and moving to hand it to his dad, "Later, first we have to help Anko, according to this woman she's going to die if we don't take…steps."

Konan chanced a glance at the group before a strained voice rang out, "Whatever you're going to do, do it fast!"

"Saber, what do we needed to do?"

Warily she moved to the downed woman, gently pulling the hands from the wound to examine the gaping wound on her shoulder. "Drakus, you need to re-make a seal for her, looks like that thing destroyed it when he exited her. I'll work on sealing this up, get to work."

"Dad, what the hell is going on!"

"Naruto, Konan, I made a big mistake when I decided to do this…those daemons were bound to her soul, and with them gone…"

"It's going to collapse…"

He nodded while Konan just looked at the pair in confusion as this strange woman seemed to mumble something under her breath before her hands were wreathed in pale blue light before she began to trace the edges of the wound, with every pass it seemed to knit closed, little by little her motions were becoming faster as the wound closed. Drakus knelt by Anko and pulled her arm into his lap, taking a moment to wipe off the dagger on his fur before he set to work, etching both runes and seals into her forearm, the small scratches healing quickly and leaving pale scars.

Saber looked over at his work and nodded before she smirked. Focusing a bit of her energy she let her thumbnail become a fine claw before pricking her finger and, acting quickly, made a quick, yet strangely elegant, design over the scars and resting her palm over it for a moment.

"It's time. Anything you want to say before we finish up?"

"What are you doing to Anko-nee-chan!"

Drakus dropped a hand on his son's shoulder, at his look the larger man shook his head, "Naruto, this woman has offered herself up to help Anko, all we have to do is help her one day with a task she must complete."

"B-But who is she?"

"A fallen angel son, but whatever she did, she is trying to atone. Right now, that will save Anko's life, we have no other options."

Naruto nodded but still looked for from trusting as the girl looked back at Drakus. His father gave a small smile to the woman and nodded. "Thank you Saber. I owe you one."

Lost to all those gathered the girl turned back quickly, hiding a blush that was threatening to form on her features, a single thought running through her head as a smile formed, 'Oh yes, this is going to be fun.'

Drakus watched as Saber began speaking softly, allowing none to hear her save Anko before she placed her sword in the woman's hand, taking the time to curl her fingers around the grip before she placed her free hand over the seal, then, with a brilliant flash she was gone, the gathered ninja and warrior blinking away the spots to see a strangely content Anko laying on the forest floor.

Drakus was the first to move to the fallen kunoichi and gently pulled her into his arms, lifting the woman bridal style as Naruto took his dagger and moved to the seals. While he may not know how to make them all, he did know how to handle the disruption of such things.

If there was one thing he was good at, it was breaking things.

As the seal array began to break down so did the barrier that had been keeping the masses at bay, not that the four of them could tell, after all, they had been a bit busy.

As the group were about to move out of the forest they found themselves surrounded by two dozen men and women with varying, animal themed masks, at the heart of the group was the aged Hokage, resembling the man he once was, it seemed the simple act of dawning the weathered armor had been enough to rekindle the man's fires of youth.

Naruto and Konan looked a bit nervous at the gathered ninja and only a glare from Drakus stopped them from drawing their weapons once more. He turned back to smile at his old friend and with a rather playful hint to his normally gruff voice spoke, "Sarutobi-sama, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

The village leader's eye twitched, "Care to explain, Drakus-kun, as to why you have destroyed such a vast portion of the forest, why there was a tornado that could be seen from Kumo, and more importantly, why is it that Anko is unconscious!?"

Drakus' posture stiffened as his eyes hardened, "Finishing what was started three years ago, my friend."

Sarutobi's eyes widened at that before running a hand over his bare head as a deep sigh escaped his lips. He gave an almost unseen nod and the gathered ANBU vanished once more, although the whole of the group could tell, simply from the amount of chakra flooding the air, that they were still close at hand, "Drakus, Konan, Naruto, I think we should take this to my office."

The three nodded before they started their trek through the village, just as they were about to start ascending the stairs of the tower the bundle in the larger man's arms began to stir. Causing the group to pause case worried eyes upon her.

Anko let out a slight purr as she tried to snuggle deeper into the soft blanket that seemed to be pressed about her, in her mind; she had never felt so warm. Slowly one pupils-less brown eyes began to flutter before she looked up into the wild features of were hovering over her.

Drakus' eyes widened in surprise as a soft hand game up to run down his cheek, a sleepy voice carrying in the quiet room, "I must be dreaming…"

Drakus bit back a laugh as the group began to slowly climb the stairs, doing they best to keep from disturbing the exhausted woman, "Oh…and why's that?"

She gave a half smile as she reached up and patted his cheek, "You haven't aged a day…"

Drakus felt his blood run cold as he almost stumbled, if he was in a better state of mind he would have laughed at both Naruto and Sarutobi mimicking him. Only Konan looked at the man in confusion before her eyes slowly started to widen. In a flash her hand came up, pointing in accusation, "I KNEW I recognized you!"

The three men looked to one-another for a moment before the same sentiment came from each of them, "Shit…"

AN: Sorry this one took a bit longer than I thought, I went through two rewrites before I even came close to something I liked, don't know why this one was so rough on me. I think it was mainly because I was having issues with Saber. That and I am trying to downplay Drakus' role, and that really won't get to happen until the training starts up in a chapter or two.

I will say, that the next chapter will feature a bit of explanation and some back and forth between Drakus and Anko before Tenten get's her shot in on Naruto. Also, to minimize a bit of the flack that may come, the next chapter will take a bit longer mainly because there is another tale I've been wanting to get the next chapter done for and posted, should give me something else to work on and hopefully keep me from burnout on one story, something that I REALLY don't want to see happen when it comes to this story.