Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Soul Eater, just the concept of Naruto's fate.

Chapter 1

A mountain north of Kyoto, Japan:

Kami stared in awe at the old mountain shrine before her. As she approached through the trees, an ancient torii rose up before her, marking an overgrown stone path that opened into the haiden (1). The blonde woman stopped for a moment to catch her breath. 'Jeez, I'm not getting any younger, am I?' She asked herself with a wry grin.

A short, willowy blonde woman, she had only gotten more beautiful with motherhood and age. Her deep green eyes still saw the world as a wonderful place, despite her troubles with her ex-husband.

But, despite her life at Shibusen, she was getting older and nothing could change that. A trek through the mountains would have never tired her out ten years ago. 'But, it all worked out for the best.'

Flashback:

She had arrived in Kyoto, Japan, a week ago and was told of the beautiful Japanese countryside by a tour guide. Walking along the forest paths was refreshing, and Kami had known the picturesque visage would be one to send to her daughter, Maka, in her next postcard.

The temperature dropped quickly as the sun set, and Kami turned back down the mountain path when she saw a light glowing dimly off the path. Making a quick decision, Kami began trekking through the underbrush towards the light, hoping it led to shelter for the night. While Kami, being a former meister, was in excellent condition for her age, she didn't want to have to spend a night in the mountains during winter.

Following what appeared to be an animal trail, Kami made her way closer to the light, which grew brighter with every step. Finally, she could see through the trees and beheld what had once been a large Shinto shrine.

Flashback End:

Following the decrepit path and walking up to the torii, Kami paused as she felt something, a pressure against her soul. 'What is this?' On a hunch, she altered her sight with soul perception. "Oh my god!"

It was a soul; a soul so pure and concentrated that it manifested as a physical barrier around the shrine. Kami gently pushed against the barrier and stepped in through the torii. A feeling of mystery, or was it loneliness, enveloped her, not really uncomfortable, but a constant presence.

Kami walked on into the haiden, staring in wonder at the obviously aged structures around her. The light she had been following was coming from the heiden (2). Walking up the wooden stairs and opening the sliding doors, Kami saw lit candles placed along the walls, leading deeper into the shrine.

Kami had studied some of the great shrines of Japan, and knew this hallway led to the honden (3), the most sacred place within a shrine. Considering where she was in Japan, Kami figured this must be one of the many Shinto shrines dedicated to Inari (4).

'But the question is: why would a shrine to one of the most popular deities in Japanese culture be in such disrepair?' Well, the presence of such a strong soul and the lit candles indicated this shrine was inhabited. Kami wasn't sure who could possess a strong soul, but she figured he or she would appear soon enough.

As Kami walked deeper into the shrine, she pondered the situation with her worthless husband and beloved daughter. Little Maka would be hard at work at Shinigami's academy. Spirit would be chasing after every skirt he saw.

Kami sighed. "Why are men such perverts?" She questioned the gods. A whisper drew her attention from her thoughts to the large doors that led to the honden. Though the door was shut tightly, Kami could almost hear some fragmented words drifting in the air.

"Leave…." She snorted. 'I'm not leaving 'till I get my answers.' "You are forbidden…." Kami stood directly in front of the massive doors leading to the inner chambers. "I don't give a damn. I just want to stay warm for the night."

There was another barrier on this door. Kami gritted her teeth and pushed. No way in hell was she going to just leave after coming this far. The doors held at first, so Kami forced her soul wavelength into the barrier; the doors flew open, and that pure soul that had been holding on the edge of her perceptions swirled around her in confusion.

Kami stood in the doorway, breathing hard and staring at the massive golden statue of a fox with nine tails that dominated the room. Candles located on stands surrounded a sitting figure that stood slowly as Kami entered.

"Who're you?" The voice, husky and deep, echoed in the room. The golden fox seemed to loom over the man, for the voice was undoubtedly male, casting his appearance in shadow. Kami moved closer to the man, peering into the dim light from the candles.

'Strong.' Was the first word that came to mind. The man was built like a fighter, lithe and wiry. Was this man the owner of that mysterious soul that blocked the torii gate? Kami had honestly expected a woman from the purity and otherworldly innocence that seemed to dominate the soul.

"I said, who're you, lady?" Kami stopped her perusal and looked into the man's dark eyes. "My name is Kami, not lady." She frowned at the rude man. He cracked a grin.

"Kami, eh? Well, sorry, but I already serve one kami (5), so take a hike." The man looked over his shoulder at the golden statue. "Kyuubi-sama gets a bit jealous when other kami come lookin' for me."

"Kyuubi-sama?" Kami looked up at the golden fox. It truly was a beautiful statue, but she had never heard of any other major fox deities beyond Inari. The man smiled fondly up at the statue. "Yeah, she's enshrined here. The temple's not much to look at, but it's for the best, really."

Kami returned to studying the man before her. No, he wasn't the soul she sensed at the torii gate. 'But the second barrier, the one I had to force open….' Could he have done that? The man turned away from the statue and frowned at her.

"Well, ya told me your name, but I gotta ask: why're you here?" He seemed to tense up, shifting his weight and posture in a way that reminded Kami of an acrobat, ready to begin performing. "'Cause ya see, this place is forbidden. Meanin' nobody, no matter how hot she is, is allowed in here. So are ya gonna go peacefully, or am I gonna hafta make ya leave?"

He cracked his neck. "An' lady, I ain't gonna go easy on ya cause you're a woman."

Kami stared nervously at the obviously strong man. "Ah, crap."

A/N: Well, sorry for such a long delay. As an apology, here's the first chapter of my Naruto/Kami pairing, Kami's Chains. This might be a bit different from my others, but bear with it.

As for the definitions, these are my summarizations of terms researched online, nothing more.

1: Main courtyard in traditional Shinto shrines.

2: Ceremonial hallway that leads to the honden.

3: Most sacred and innermost chamber of the shrine; usually houses the kami's symbol or statue.

4: Kami of kitsune, or foxes, and of rice. Inari is one of the most popular kami in Japan.

5: Japanese spirit/deity in Shinto religion.