During the first week of training Matron Hanami focused on full body training. My body simply was not prepared for the severity of what the old kunoichi had prepared. There were times when I felt like my body was being stretched well beyond its limit. There were moments when I felt like she was pushing my stamina beyond its limit. There weren't even any brakes or rests between the exercises!

It was all mad I tell you, and at first I wanted to complain. I mean who wouldn't want to complain about being made to stretch and contort into a small box? Who wouldn't want to complain about being made to run laps around the redlight district at the break of dawn? All this combined with the fact that I had to attend Kiri's bloody excuse for a ninja academy.

It was all so tiring and rough. I was close to giving up at one point, but then I psyched myself out of that train of thought real quick. I wasn't going to give up, not when my life was literally on the line.

And so it was that I, Kawakami Tomie, resigned myself to train even harder.

During my days in school I would always try to befriend Kisame. They boy was a tough nut to crack, but I was persistent. I never relented in my friendly advances, because I knew what it was like to be alone with no one to turn to. The boy was a clan kid, but from the rumors I'd heard he was a blacksheep among the Hoshigakis.

At some point he cornered and questioned me about my motives. Yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday.

Flashback

I was happily skipping on my way home when suddenly I felt a presence behind me. Naturally I thought it was some sort of pervert so I prepared to run. However, before I could even sprint I heard someone shout menacingly.

"Wait!" I knew that voice anywhere. It was Kisame's voice, but he sounded more annoyed than usual.

"K-Kisame-kun?" I say this as I turn to see the blue-skinned boy in all his adorably menacing glory.

"I told you to stop calling me that Kawakami-san." The boy is a little purple from my overly familiar wording.

"Mmmm. Nope~! Now, please tell me why you were following me?" While I respected traditional Japanese honorifics, I didn't enjoy the fact that I wasn't allowed to use people's first names so easily.

"...Why?" Kisame pauses before he speaks. The clouds above the sky begin to roil as thunder crackles.

"Why what?" I stood there confused as his expression contorts to that of pure distrust. Even after all this time of trying to be a good person, he still thought I had an agenda.

"Why are you trying to befriend me?! Why do you keep treating me like I'm so special?! Why do you care?!" He's shouting and the people around us are beginning to stare. We were in the middle of the street after all.

"Because I want to be your friend. Because everyone deserves to feel special. Because I want you to be happy." I say this as rain begins to pour in waves. Though it didn't bother me and Kisame, we were denizens of the land of water afterall.

"...I-I still don't trust you…" I could hear Kisame's voice waver as I gave him a sad smile. We were both soaked due to the rain and I couldn't tell if he was crying. Perhaps he was, or maybe he wasn't. Either way, I couldn't tell.

"You don't have to. At least not yet, but maybe someday. Goodbye for now Kisame-kun" I say this as I turn to continue my journey back home. Mother would be furious if I caught a cold.

The next few weeks have me learning chakra control. This is where I excelled the most honestly. Matron Hanami says I have a lot of chakra, though I'm not sure if it was comparable to Kisame's tailless tailed beast chakra.

Anyways, I learned how to concentrate by keeping water stuck to my forehead similar to Konoha's leaf test. I learned that I had two elemental transformations as I split a chakra sensitive paper in half while soaking it in water. Turns out I had both wind and water releases, which were both useful in the long run.

I was also taught water walking, which was embarrassing at first let me tell you. I managed to stand up on the water, but then I got cocky and tripped on a rock and nearly got carried off by the current if it weren't for Matron Hanami. I was glad the old woman was watching over me like the grandmother that she was. If not for her, I would've been carried off by the strong current even if I knew how to swim well.

Weeks turned into months and suddenly I was being taught how to dodge jutsu. This skill was useful no matter how much I complained to myself about it. Still, dodging water dragons wasn't part of the shitty academy curriculum so I endured the training.

Still, there was a difference between Matron Hanami's kind and outgoing personality as opposed to when she was my teacher. You see, Matron Hanami was apparently a secret sadist who turns into a cackling witch whenever she launches jutsu at me.

It would've been hilarious if I wasn't the fucking target! Still, I can't complain. Complaints get me more water dragons!

I wondered at how much chakra this old woman had and then I realized she was probably a veteran of the 2nd Shinobi World War. I made a joke about her being a part of the 1st war and that got me to dodge multiple water slicer jutsu while balancing a bucket full of rocks on top of my head! It was worth it!

The academy holds sparring practice at the end of each month, and each time I would get pitted against a clan kid who would beat my ass. That is until I won. You see it went a little something like this.

Flashback

"Funato Renma versus Kawakami Tomie!" The foul female chunin instructor whose name I never bothered to find out announced my opponent with a smirk. She probably put me up against Renma on purpose.

Funato Renma was a slightly handsome kid with slick back strawberry blonde hair and tan skin. He was dressed in a sleeveless red vest with a white shirt and gray pants. The kid had a mean streak against all his opponents. Always giving them black eyes and stepp on their throats until they were an inch from death. The teachers excused it all because he was part of the Funato Clan, a bunch of pirates who could control water at will, without the need for hand signs too.

I was suddenly very grateful that the arena was mist-free and completely dry, and that there was a strict no-jutsu policy with these spars.

"Sweet, I get to beat up the hooker's daughter." Renma says this to no-one in particular as he takes a step towards his side of the ring. Not that it matters though, I was going to beat him bloody. Nobody insults my Mother and gets away with it!

"Begin!" The referee instructor shouts just in time for Renma to rush towards me like a berserker. He was slower than Hakuryuu, but he was definitely physically stronger. The kid was packing some muscle for a 9-year old.

Renma tried to punch me to which I just tilted my head as I swayed to the side. It was almost laughable how much slower he was compared to a water dragon jutsu.

Renma simply grit his teeth and snarled as spun around to jab at me again. I sway and pirouette to dodge ahead of him, dodging once more.

"Stop dodg-!" I jab him to the right of his neck before he can even turn and finish speaking. He crumbles slightly to the ground and coughs out spittle.

"That looked like it hurt Renma-kun~." I say in a saccharine sweet voice as he continues to cough. All the while I move and circle outward, giving about a couple dozen feet of distance between me and my target.

"You! You lower caste bitch!" He shouts out as he loses his temper and launches himself in an attempt to tackle me to the ground. He was moving faster than before which told me he was taking the fight seriously now. Not that it mattered, because I was taking him seriously from the get go.

You see, Matron Hanami might have been a medical-ninjutsu specialist, but that didn't mean she didn't know any taijutsu. These past few months of hellish schooling and training have taught me to perfect my dance into a unique taijutsu style. One that I would use to beat the ever living shit out of this horrendous child.

Anyways, as Renma was about to grab I performed a cartwheel to the left to get away. As I landed on pointe, Renma tried to switch his sprinting direction to grab me in a hold.

However, just before he gets ahold of me I bend my back quickly till my hands are on the floor and kick him square in the face as I perform a backwards cartwheel. Renma is sent falling backwards due to the force of the kick.

"Oh~! Looks like someone has an ouchie~. Want me to kiss it better?" I say this as the boy struggles to get up. I put some distance between us again as he begins to speak.

"H-How?! You're a weakling! You've never beaten anyone before!" He shouts as he stands up with an angry expression on his face. I simply scoff and flip my hair at the boy. What a loser.

The fight continues after my bitchy silent treatment as Renma tries and fails to catch and hit me multiple times. All the while I was having the time of my life tormenting the poor boy. Perhaps Matron Hanami's sadism was rubbing off on me. Regardless, it seems I tired the boy out as he was soon out of breath after the fifteenth attempt.

"Rargh!" He shouts out as he fails to punch me. All the while I grab at his ear and spin while performing a twisting kick. The resulting hit causes the boy to fall to the ground. The boy falls to the ground with a groan and I daintily place a foot on his chest.

"Not bad for an oiran's daughter huh?" I ask this in a sweet tone as Renma, who has his eyes closed and head to the ground, simply groans.

I take a look at the chunin referee who insulted me during my first day with an expectant smile. She had her jaw to the ground much like the rest of the instructors. I tilt my head to her in the hopes that she'll announce my win.

"Ahem…Right! Winner, Kawakami Tomie!" The bland faced beotch announces my win, with a disbelieving look on her face.

I happily skip to join the rest of the class who are all staring at me with curious or hungry looks. Afterall, I was no longer one of the helpless victims in class, I was officially part of the competition now.

Remember the dream I used to have everyday? Well tonight, just after Mother, Matron Hanami and I celebrated my first sparring win, I fell into a deep sleep. It was weird, as soon as my head hit the bed, I fell asleep.

Once again I found myself in the expanse of the endless void, but tonight would be different. You see it's been years since this dream started and each night I would get one step closer to the precipice of the ivory throne. Did I ever mention that the throne was actually made of skulls? No? Well now you know.

Anyways as I was saying, tonight was the night I would reach the skull throne. Some of you might ask how I knew, and I'd tell you I didn't know how to explain it. It was merely a gut feeling. Like a curl in your stomach that wouldn't go away. Something deep inside of me told me tonight was the night I would get to meet the master of this realm.

Now, on to the journey. You see, unlike the normal world, this macabre and beautiful palace had no color except shades of red. I could only see the throne during my first few steps but as I got closer I would see curious things. Creatures that could drive people. Horrors that could kill. Abominations that would infest the world. Demons that would destroy anything in their path. All of this realm filled my vision as these eldritch terrors slaughtered humanoid figures in the far off distance.

For some reason, I was left alone. The sole human in this sunless world as I trudge on what I now knew was bloodsoaked mud.

"It is time child. Come to me." The thunderous whisper was heard throughout the realm and I knew in my heart that if I disobeyed, I would be cut down.

Still, there was a want, a primal need to find out more. My curiosity filled desire was amplified by my lust for survival. I knew that somehow, this great and titanic horned figure was the key to my survival.

With each step I took, I inched closer. There was no need to rush, as I wanted a satisfying climax with regards to the finale of my neverending dream. The eldritch figures around me grew in number as I drew closer to the throne. Perhaps it was a sign of power, or perhaps the demons were merely sycophants. Either way, they were not my goal.

I was close now. Instead of monsters killing hapless souls, I was surrounded by bloodstained bones. A foul place for some, and yet all I could think about was morbid fascination that this throne was somehow the Skull Throne of Khorne. However, the inverted triangle wrapped in a circle burning crimson flames in the sky said otherwise.

The scent of blood was thick and heavy, yet this metallic scent only increased my curiosity. I don't know why I didn't feel sick or why I didn't cower in fear. Perhaps it was because deep in my heart, after all these years of trudging through this endless expanse of gore and suffering, I knew exactly whose symbols it was in the sky. I was afterall, a fan of Naruto. What kind of fan would I be if I didn't know who Hidan was?

"You have arrived, child. You may stop your incessant narration." I wonder what he meant by that. Either way the horned shadow titan was right in front of me now. I could see his body encased in nothing but darkness even as flames lit themselves all around us to provide some semblance of light and warmth. He spoke in a voice that was all too dark, bellowing, and seductive. Said voice nearly made me break down in worship of him. Then again, I'd always believed in the existence of greater powers.

"So it would seem…" I ponder before I continue. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Jashin-sama?" I say this as I kneel down and bow my head before the Naruto equivalent of Satan. There was no one else in the Naruto world who used that symbol in the sky. I knew it far too well. I'd even cosplayed as an akatsuki once upon a time.

"Curiouser and curiouser. A child from another world speaks of a God they have never met. Truly I was right to choose you, now rise my child." His voice made me want to fawn and spend endless days worshiping him at the foothold of his throne. His dominant presence made my legs quiver and yet after all this, I did not waver. I don't know how or why, I just didn't.

"Thank you Jashin-sama." I rose to my feet after that, still, the alluring darkness never ceased. The very sight of this demonic titan commanded respect, one that I was all too happy to give. Afterall, I was a fan of Hidan and the rest of the akatsuki.

"You are very welcome child. I have brought you here for one simple reason." Jashin says this with his incredible and powerful voice as a contract and spiked ink brush form and float in front of me. "To offer you power beyond your imagination. To offer you all this and more in exchange for your servitude and soul."

"I…" Was I really ready to sell my soul? Was I ready to make a deal with the devil, one that I might come to regret? There would be no afterlife and no going back after all this is said and done. There would be no heaven nor hell. There would only be Jashin…Strangely enough I wasn't sure if I was okay with this.

You see, I didn't have any Kekkei Genkai. Other than the ability to dodge and the excellent chakra control, I still had no marketable ninja abilities. I needed an edge, something to put me above the average ninja. I needed something that would help me survive the years to come. Still, it would be wise to read the contract, I wasn't a fool afterall…

I was to be Jashin's priestess. His herald in the world of shinobi. In exchange for spreading his faith and my eternal soul I was to be granted three boons. The first boon was the ability to taste the ambient life force within my surroundings, essentially turning me into a sensor type ninja. The second boon would grant me the ability to create blood curse jutsu, like a true jashinist this thought excited me. The third and final boon stated that I gain the ability to summon Jashin's children. A power that I was desperate to have.

All I needed to do was follow Jashin's commandments and give him sacrifices. Still…It left one question on my mind.

"What of the boon of immortality Jashin-sama?" I ask out of sincere curiosity. Perhaps I was asking too much, then again it could literally hurt me to ask if Jashin was displeased with my words.

"I enjoy your presence, child, but if you want to gain my favor, you must first prove yourself." I was nodding even before he finished speaking. Jashin was making a lot of sense to me.

"Well then Jashin-sama I apologize, but I must refuse your offer for now." I wasn't going to sell my soul that easily, afterall, the 3rd boon had yet to be revealed. Regardless of Jashin's godly temptation, I was standing firm on my ideals.

Then, it's almost as if time stops as the savaging hordes of eldritch abominations around Jashin's world fall a moment I thought: 'Well this is it. This is how I get thrown into the void again.'

I close my eyes for a moment, waiting for Jashin to smite me, when suddenly all I hear is laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA," Jashin's bellowing roar of a laugh has me quiver in anticipation as I peak out to see him take the contract and make it disappear. "It has been quite some time since someone has refused a deal with me. Though I must ask, to what end do you reject me? Do you really think you're going to survive this world?"

"All I ask for is time. Time to think this through. Time to live my life without fear of the void. Perhaps one day I will accept, but today is not that day."

"One day you will come to rue your decision. Once you are on the brink of death, when your soul is at its ripest, you will call for me. When this time comes, your soul will step before me once more, and you will beg." Jashin snaps as flames take both the contract and quill, turning both into ashes beneath my feet.

Then, I wake up, with a terrible feeling. Perhaps I should have taken his deal.

3 Years Later

Today was the day of the Ninja Academy's Graduation Ceremony. The students were all lined up like little soldiers and I was one of them. We were all situated in Kirigakure's grand arena.

The place reminded me of Konoha's chunin exam arena, except with a few key differences. For starters the walls were made of gray-green sea stone. Inplace of a grass-filled field we had mud and ponds of various sizes. The mist within the arena was light, but it could still obscure a whole figure when it got thick. There were also stands situated all around the arena. Though unlike the chunin exam arc, the stands only had a few people within them.

The most notable groups were the clans and the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Now I know what you're thinking. Why would people want to watch children murder each other in cold blood? Well let me tell you. The clans were here looking for future prospects for their children. Perhaps a young shinobi or kunoichi could have an arranged marriage with one of their children should they prove worthy. It was rare for them to pick anyone, though it still happened. As for the Seven Swordsmen well…They were looking for future apprentices. I could see chubby old Suikazan Fuguki, Kisame's future teacher in the stands. The traitor was munching on some taiyaki while the 3rd Mizukage was giving his speech.

As for the speech, well, I wasn't paying attention. It was all "For the future of Kirigakure" this, and "We shall be reborn as true Shinobi" that. All of it was vomit inducing tripe that I didn't care for. I was more concerned that Kisame was staring at me throughout the entire speech. A girl like myself had to wonder about such things.

After the speech the Mizukage relocated to his special seat alongside a few Council Members. Meanwhile we were made to wait in the stands until our names were called out.

Suddenly I felt queasy. I was about to watch children kill each other, and soon enough I'd be made to kill a child as well. Even after all these years I wasn't sure about this. I've been dreading this day and now that it has arrived, I was terrified.

I couldn't help it if my hands were shaking. Suddenly I feel someone's hand take mine. I saw my favorite blue-skinned boy had come to comfort me. I was suddenly very grateful for his spur of the moment decision. Even now Kisame's face was purple as I gave him a thankful smile.

Suddenly my heart drops as I hear the referee shout.

"Hoshigaki Kisame versus Jingen Arata!" My grip on Kisame tightens, but he manages to pull away without making a scene.

"Please come back safe Kisame-kun…" I say this as Kisame before he makes his way to the stairs.