Warning: Dark themes like death and gore

Sometimes I hear God.

He's always angry and I know it's a 'he' because His voice is deep and commanding. It fills my ears and I physically feel like I have to scratch His words out of them; He speaks omnipotently.

After Hidan had read my soulmate mark aloud I heard Him for the first time.

My eyes glazed over despite the rush of resentment and bitterness from hearing those words, the words meant to be said by my soulmate. I fall bonelessly in a heap unto the ground while Hidan still clutched onto my wrist.

"The fuck does this mean?" Said the silver haired nin, poking at the ink.

Receiving silence, Hidan glares down at me before sighing and letting me go.

"What does it mean, Hikari?"

"...It's my soulmate's words. They want me dead before even getting to know me." I whisper out quietly, laying on the floor and staring up at the bright, so bright, sky.

You will not die just yet. It is my will.

My entire body flinches at hearing a deep baritone speak to me and though it didn't sound like Hidan, I stood up and looked at him accusingly. He was picking at his scythe, completely facing the opposite direction and didn't even react to my glare.

"Soulmate? You believe in that crap? Thought they were just storybook fairy tales or some shit."

That voice couldn't have been Hidan, right? I shake my head and look around, squinting at the treeline to see if there was a hidden ninja somewhere out there- as if I could actually catch one off guard.

"...Soulmates are real because these are the words they will say when we first meet,"

I retort back, a stinging sensation in my chest from hearing similar words that Mom had said back then, "Everyone has a soul mark."

At this, Hidan turns to look at me and gives me an incredulous stare. He completely shrugs off his cloak to reveal a shirtless chest, dark grey pants, and plain ninja sandals.

"Oh yeah? Then where's mine, dumbass?" He challenges, spinning around to further prove his point.

My face burned with embarrassment and shame, "Maybe you have one on your ass, stop fucking around."

Hidan gave me a devilish grin, one that would have been attractive if it didn't promise anything bad. The silver haired nin had the balls to actually turn around and pull his pants down. My hands immediately flew up to shield my eyes.

"Stop! Enough!" I screeched, louder than I ever had in my life (two lives?). I rushed towards him and tugged on his pants to pull them back over his crack at the very least, Hidan chuckling the whole while like my embarrassment was great fun for him. Then again, it probably was.

The Naruto world didn't have soul marks and with that, no soulmates.

It made me want to slump in relief despite the shallow regret that welled in me from thinking about my own soulmate, one I left behind me in that other life.

No soulmates means that the people here must be free. If I remember correctly, there was no mention what-so-ever about soulmates in the manga; everyone was too busy trying to be the strongest ninja or ruling the world. Maybe that's why I was such a fan. Think about it: you're free to live a life not shackled by some words that were on your body. I told Hidan the same thing after he wanted me to explain soulmates further to him.

("Where I'm from," I started carefully, "Soulmates are the person you're fated to be with. Someone that will love you and you will love back."

"Fate? Jashin-sama fated you to be with me but I didn't say those words."

"No. I guess not.")

I assumed the voice I heard was from Jashin, or at least some other deity. Hidan hadn't heard it after all and he was a supposedly a devout follower. I continued to hear the voice, though at sporadic moments, throughout the time I was with Hidan. Though He always said things along the lines of "My will commands you to do this" or "You will be the end and the beginning" blah blah blah. I really just tried to tune Him out since He was being repetitive.

Hidan wanted me to do some workouts with him. Sprints, push ups, the like. Said something about my physical ability being "too damn shitty" to even be useful. I had to hand it to him however, after a week of his training regiment I could really feel a difference in my body's tone and muscles.

You will grow and fester and rid the world of all non-believers.

My face stays blank at hearing Him talk again. I chose to keep this to myself for now until I find the right time to say anything. Not like I expected anyone to help me if this turns out to be just a case of schizophrenia.

"Oi, Hikari!" Hidan slams open the door and barges in. I was laying on the bed- technically his, and I slept on the floor, but he wasn't there- thinking too much when he arrived.

"Jashin-sama told me you weren't answering to His commands! You little shit, you can actually hear Him and He talks to you but you didn't say anything?" He reached over and shook me violently, my neck swinging back and forth painfully.

"Jashin-sama told me to tell you to answer when He speaks to you, got it? Otherwise, He told me to give you lashings as punishment! Your back should be bloody when I'm done with you, bitch!" Pink eyes bore into me and I fully believed Hidan would go through with that threat.

I nodded desperately and closed my eyes, trying to hold back tears. A few beats of silence passed before he released my shoulders and let me fall back onto the bed. I let out heavy breaths and reigned my tears back in, opening my eyes when I felt safe enough to do so.

Sitting on the foot of the bed, his face turned to the wall showing me his profile, Hidan had a firm scowl on his face. If he was anything but I would have called him innocent-looking with that pout. But he isn't so I tucked my legs in and tried to look small. I gasped when he suddenly turned back to me.

"Why didn't you say anything?" His voice was unusually quiet, a stark contrast to his earlier yelling.

"I thought it was just a voice in my head." I lied easily, the thumping in my heart steady with years of practice. I didn't feel like making Hidan even more angry by saying that I did know the voice in my head is his beloved Jashin and just chose not to speak to Him.

Hidan's pout- frown, frown, frown- twisted some more, "No, not that idiot. Why didn't you tell me you could hear him?"

My head tilted in confusion. Why would he want to know?, I asked myself until realization dawned on me.

Hidan loves, no worships, Jashin. Something told me that Jashin rarely ever spoke to His followers like He has been speaking to me this past week, daily and incessant. Could Hidan be jealous?

"I didn't want to seem crazy." It was the partial truth. I heard what Pein said, I'm not protected from the wrath of the other Akatsuki members. If they thought some loon in their base was too troublesome, they could easily kill me when Hidan's caught off guard.

"Look, it's not. I just don't get it. Why would He speak to you?" Hidan's voice stayed with that quiet, nearly gentle tone.

Shrugging off the rudeness from that statement I decided to placate the man who had threatened me with a whipping not too long ago, "I-I could repeat back what He said to me."

Pink, hopeful eyes snapped up to look at me. The intensity in those orbs made me involuntarily shiver, those pink eyes were surreally unnatural but so very beautiful.

Taking his silence as agreement I went on, "He just told me before you came in, 'You'll grow and fester and rid the world of non-believers'..."

I continued like that, retelling Jashin's words as Hidan scooted closer to me, drinking each word in and even asking me to repeat some things.

"...That is fucking amazing," He says with a large grin after I finished speaking.

"You must really be worth something if Jashin-sama sees you as the End of All Days. I've only heard bits and pieces of His plan, only after sacrificing useless cunts."

He stands up and without warning, lifts me over his shoulder easily- Hidan had about a foot on me and probably weighed twice my size. I tensed immediately as he walked out of the room and headed down a now familiar corridor, the one leading towards that grassy field we used as a training ground.

I was practically used to being hefted around like this however, since the pink eyed nin realized it was faster to carry me than it is to wait for me to follow after him.

At least his shoulders were comfortable, I thought sarcastically. Muscley, but comfortable.

I thought back to what he said to me: the End of All Days? Something told me that it had to do with an apocalypse of some sort, definitely something Earth shattering in the very least. Not that I even believed that I'd have any part in it. If all goes according to plan, I'd be dead before then.

A whoosh of wind made my long, dark hair fall over my face and I grumbled about it loud enough for Hidan to hear and laugh at. Asshole.

I was dumped, roughly I'm afraid, onto the grass below. Hidan had his scythe with him and told me to get up, completely ignoring the fact that I was still recovering from nearly falling onto my neck.

"Stand up. We're gonna see what freaky shit you can do."

Finally gathering myself and looking up at him, I stared at the way he said 'freaky shit'. What does that even mean?

Apparently seeing the confused face I was making, he jabbed my stomach with the butt-end of his scythe- I only cringed a little, a solid improvement- before telling me to gather up my chakra.

I nodded and did as I was told, calling up the foreign substance that made the muscles in my abdomen tighten and feel full simultaneously. Along with physical training Hidan had me always use some chakra to get me familiar with using it, though it still felt weird and intrusive just as it had when he first cycled chakra through my 'inner network'.

"Call for Jashin-sama." He ordered next.

Then, after seeing the same confused face from me he huffed out, "Focus and search for His voice. Jashin-sama is strongly connected to you so you should be able to hear him sooner or later, dipshit."

I swallowed thickly and closed my eyes. Truthfully, I was nervous and anxious since this is the first time that I'll actually be looking for that voice instead of avoiding it or tuning it out.

Hello, my mind called out. After a minute of not hearing anything I was about to give up when the signature deep, echoing voice of the death god rang through my ears.

My follower did well in disciplining you I see, you have decided to listen to your God.

I tried to stop myself from thinking of a retort but the dark chuckle that boomed between the walls of my mind told me that I failed.

Child, you may try to mask your thoughts from me but your emotions are written as clear as freshwater. Do well in holding your tongue however, since next time I may not be as lenient towards your liveliness.

He chuckled a little more, probably from the pout I was wearing on my face and the pout I was feeling in my heart.

Hidan told me to call for you, I told the amused voice in my head. I wondered if Hidan got his sense of humor from Him since they both seemed to take pleasure in my negativity.

So he wishes to see your gifts?

My gifts? Aren't I the gift?, I asked but then sputtered after realizing how egocentric that sounded. I imagined that Hidan is wondering what was going on from the deep blush that dusted my face at the moment. Jashin laughs- not snort because gods of death and destruction do not snort- at my embarrassment.

You are a gift I gave to Hidan. Your second life and your powers are my gift to you. If you wish to use them, simply draw power from the mark I have given you and expel your chakra.

And with that simple explanation our conversation ended. I could feel a strange emptiness from where Jashin had spoken to me.

I opened my eyes to see a masculine face right in front of me, eliciting a loud gasp on my part.

"So how'd it go?" Hidan asks, still peering down at me as I clutched my chest. My chest was pounding but maybe if I was lucky I'd die from a heart attack.

"Jashin told me to just draw power from my mark...then expel my chakra," I replied. Hidan gave me an unimpressed look and even I had to agree that it sounded way too simple. No long and complicated hand signs? No elaborate jutsu?

I added in anyways, "Oh, and he said you did well in...telling me to contact him."

At this, the man smiles more sincerely than I've ever seen, "No way, seriously? Jashin-sama said I did a good job? No fucking way!"

He continued on a tirade of incredulity, waving his arms around comically as he clutched onto the necklace adorned around his neck. I noted that the quickest way to get him happy again would be to talk about Jashin with him.

When he was done with his fanboying- a light word to describe his fanatic devotion- he turned back to me, almost as if he'd forgotten about my existence. I was just smooshing some ants I saw on the ground with my thumb to pass the time till then.

"Oi, Hikari, why aren't you channelling your chakra?" Hidan barked out.

Rolling my eyes, I muttered under my breath how he was the one who got distracted in the first place. It earned me a punch in my shoulder that would bruise later on the day. Damn ninja and their enhanced senses.

"Fine, I got it, I got it." I grumbled and held up two fingers like I had seen in the manga. It felt a little awkward and my fingers were tense but I gathered chakra in the same place.

This time though, I searched for the chakra from the mark Jashin gave me. It didn't take long at all. Almost immediately I felt a surge of red, hot chakra at the base of my spine being pulled forward to my belly, towards the mark.

I let out a gasp as I saw a faint, red glow coming from under my shirt. Even Hidan raised a brow at this.

"H-He said to expel it out. Jashin, I mean," I stuttered out hurriedly, fearfully. "How do I that?"

The bastard just shrugged, "Just push, I don't fucking know. Push until you feel like shitting."

My mouth pressed together to form a thin line, ignoring the brusque words but taking his advice by pushing. At first physically, then mentally I forced the chakra to move, move, move.

The red glow grew stronger and seemed to come off more parts of my body until I realized that it wasn't my skin glowing, no, it was the deep, maroon pattern stretching over my skin. It climbed down my arms, up my throat, and across my face.

"Damn…" Hidan whistled at my new 'look'. I blinked but my body was rigid still, afraid of anything happening should I move or disrupt anything.

The patterns didn't stop on my skin however. After reaching my feet it spread out onto the ground in a circular pattern, interconnecting with itself in multiple places like a spiderweb made of blood. I watched as it sickenly pooled together to finish its design: a macabre, blood red circle around me.

"...What's it supposed to do?" I asked the man next to me. There was silence except for the the wind that tickled the grass and leaves. If I listened closely, there was a faint hum coming from the markings.

"Hidan?" I asked, turning to look at the man.

What I was met with was the silver haired nin frozen in place, his arms at his sides awkwardly. I tilted my head and wondered why he was standing like that.

His pink irises pleaded something fierce to me, I realized. It was then that I put two-and-two together and concluded that he was standing on top of the pattern of the circle, the same glow around his own feet.

Unsure of how to release the jutsu- kekkei genkai?- I moved and stepped towards him. Slowly, the pattern receded into itself until it was just a pool that looked a lot like blood.

"...The fuck?! What the fuck was that bullshit?!" Hidan screamed the moment the glow around his feet disappeared.

I raise my arms in defense, scared that he'd lash out at me again.

"I don't know, promise!"

The next ten minutes then consisted of Hidan swearing and pacing while I stared at the ground where the puddle of blood settled. I reached down to touch it- morbid curiosity- and was surprised to see it wasn't cold as I was expecting, it felt fresh.

"...Warm." I whispered.

When Hidan was done with cursing at the high heavens above- the heathen's heaven- he turned to speak to me again. I stood up to face him.

"Jashin-sama gave you the ability of being able to trap people in that blood web of yours, or at least that's what I think," He then crouched to touch the small puddle as I had done earlier, "Hmm, it's warm. Then that means this blood is yours."

I was instantly alarmed. My blood? Now that I think about it, I did have a headache when I released the circle. Could it have been from the blood loss?

"Use that jutsu or whatever it is again. I want to try something." Hidan requested, or more like demanded of me. As I concentrated to gather up the chakra again, he jumped back about four meters in front of me.

"This time I won't be caught in your fucking circle." He explained.

Chakra pooled in my gut and soon enough the red glow was back and the markings were growing on my body, extending out onto the ground. However, now that I knew it was using my blood, I was staring at the maroon pattern more warily.

"Is that as far as it goes?" Hidan yells over, holding a hand to cup around his mouth.

I focus more chakra but nothing happens. Looking towards Hidan, I shrugged uselessly.

"I'm gonna try my theory, then." He yells back, a grin on his face.

Uh oh, that doesn't bode well.

Next thing I knew Hidan's scythe came swinging straight into its wielder. Skin pierced and a harsh spray of blood came out, spilling onto the ground, the air, everywhere. Even on the circle.

My head snapped down to look at my belly, there was a new sensation there almost like a piece fitting or a jar being filled. It wasn't painful or uncomfortable per se, just foreign.

The pattern glowed especially bright then, turning from a deeper red hue to a pink shade, similar to Hidan's own eyes. A connection was made, I realized. The circle accepted the blood- the sacrifice- and started to grow, spanning out farther and creating a more web-like look before returning to its original color.

"Gahahaha!" The man laughed, near maniacally, "I fucking knew it! Just like my scythe, you need a blood sacrifice to work properly!"

I felt a little peeved that Hidan still treated me like his weapon, an object, but it was quickly overshadowed by the fact that I used a blood sacrifice as part of my ability. Sure, I had a healthy dose of interest in the macabre (someone who tries to kill themselves obviously has to) but this was actually kind of cool.

It made me feel powerful, and in control. Something I've never had in my past life. I was ruled by money, my mother, and that depression, but in this world? I was blessed, yeah I fucking said it.

Blessed.

Thank you, I think sincerely, hoping that my gratitude could be conveyed to the death god.

"Praise be." I said, half-jokingly when Hidan came trotting over to me.

I released the circle differently this time: cutting off the chakra flow from my normal chakra to the- albeit demonic like- chakra of Jashin's symbol.

"Hikari! I can picture it now!" Hidan exclaimed happily.

Even picking me up from below my knees, forcing me to put my hands on his shoulders to balance myself, "While I'm out killing sacrifices, you'll be there, make that kickass blood circle, and use that to trap the sacrifices and make sure they don't escape!"

He spun us around, me still in his arms and him smiling wildly. I decided to indulge him since he was technically stroking my ego and said, "With every sacrifice, when their blood gets on the circle then the circle will get even bigger."

Hidan blinked his orbs up at me before breaking into a radiant smile. I tried to hold back a blush but I knew I failed just from feeling my heated cheeks.

"I didn't even think of that! Fuck, I want to go out and kill something already!" He pulled me close and planted a wet pop of a kiss right on top of my head but I didn't react to it.

No, I was too busy thinking about what he just said.

"...Go out and kill?" I whisper to myself, my brows lowering into each other.

I guess I never realized it, a dire mistake on my part, but I was expected to kill. I had to kill.

I have given you a second chance so that you and my follower will give me more sacrifices. Remember what I have told you: you will be the End of All Days. A Harbinger of Death. The Apocalypse.

Jashin's voice drowned out Hidan's own (I faintly remember him calling my name) as I stared out blankly in front of me. Me? The Apocalypse?

My head couldn't wrap around the thought. It couldn't accept it. If I wasn't already wrong in the head I'd be more worried about the fact there's an actual voice in my mind but instead I'm stuck on trusting whether what it's saying is right or not.

I have to admit, it'd be cool to have some impact on the Naruto world. Even if it's just a little.

Settling my eyes on Hidan, I can't help but feel that maybe being here- with the Akatsuki, one of the most influential group of characters in the manga- isn't so bad afterall.

Too bad these feelings were short lived.

We were going out tonight, as per Hidan's orders.

Him and Kakuzu had a short mission that shouldn't take too long and I'd be able to be put to use. At least, that's what Hidan told me.

Said man was currently strapping kunai into his holsters and wrapping bandages around his legs, getting ready and preparing.

On the other hand, I was pacing around. A nervous tic that never really went away after gaining the habit as a kid. There was a lot of reasons for me to be nervous anyways.

Naruto was a manga that preached friendship and bonds and everything that didn't work in my previous world. Despite all that there were definitely some gory scenes with antagonists that had some admittedly twisted schemes.

Tonight I was expected to kill someone. Hidan would make sure of it. I gulped at the thought, my head was quiet though I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

"Sit down, dammit. What? You scared, seriously?" Hidan shoots me an annoyed look.

Meekly, I sat on the bed opposite where Hidan was sitting. I tried hiding my nod by ducking my head but of course the only time Hidan's paying any attention to me I'm too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

"Haa," He breathes out, as if my reluctance was some irritating thing, "I'm guessing it's your first time? Don't worry, I'll be there and if you listen to what I'm saying, everything should be fine."

I look up at him, my eyes widening. Is Hidan comforting me? He's capable of something like that?

"Geez, don't fucking look at me like that, seriously. I just don't want Jashin-sama's gift go to waste if I let you die on the first test run." He snorts though there's a faint dusting of pink across his cheeks.

There is bile in the back of my throat and my stomach is still stuck in knots but Hidan's reassurance was nice. I give him a small smile in thanks for this small mercy.

"Let's go." Kakuzu grunts, his hulking figure surprisingly nimble as it sped off into the night.

Hidan and I met up with the stitched man outside of the base, the first time I'm somewhere other than Hidan's room or that open space used as a training ground. Apparently the two of us were late (Hidan may or may not have had to drag me out of the room) but the zombie duo said a few words before it was time to take off.

"Get on, Kakuzu's pissed so he's not gonna wait." Hidan crouches slightly and shows his back to me.

I nod hesitantly and climb on, digging my fingers into his cloak as he sped off after his partner.

The speed was thrilling. In my original world I didn't have enough money for a bike, let alone a car. I think, as the wind whips past me and my hair trails behind us like a cape, I like going fast. The scenery blurs into one coalesced picture. The trees in the distance dotted the dark grey background in various shades of green; the moon and stars the only still beings in the night sky. For someone immortal, Hidan was warm. I buried my face into the back of his neck, feeling him tense the smallest amount right after. He smelled like the metal tang of blood and-

Suddenly I was flying across the ground like a ragdoll until I was caught in large, firm arms.

"Ahh!" I squeak out, scrambling to get on my feet.

The hell?! Who just throws someone off their back like that?

"Stop moving or I'll slit your throat right now, girl." Came the gravelly voice of my holder.

Like a magic word I stilled instantly. A rough hand was placed over my mouth as if Kakuzu- because who else had stitches on his hand like this?- didn't trust that I'd keep my mouth shut.

"Oi, Kaku-fucker! You don't need to do that, Hikari is plenty quiet enough." Hidan said, his voice cocky and arrogant.

He walked into my view but was obviously still speaking to his partner. Thankfully, the hand was removed. It was growing damp with my heavy breathing. Gross.

"You should already know what to do," Kakuzu all but growls out- though maybe that was his regular voice- and Hidan nods nonchalantly, pissing the stitched man nonetheless, "If the girl gets in the way I'm offing her, got it?"

At this, the devil-may-care attitude Hidan had did a complete switch because he was now glaring wildly at the masked man, "Don't even think about touching her, you shit-eating heathen! Jashin-sama will smite you before you fucking even think about killing her!"

The two glare at each other some more before Kakuzu snorts and pushes me forward into Hidan's chest.

"C'mon, Hikari." Hidan gives one last glare at the masked man (who was leaking some killer intent that made my throat close up pitifully) and stalked away.

I swallowed heavily before following after him.

In the clearing in front of us was a small band of people, and if I can guess correctly, there was some big shot noble or politician they were escorting. There was a few wooden wagons that carried various supplies and one fancy carriage at the far end that obviously housed the rich and famous.

"We're gonna go in and kill as much people as we can while Kakuzu goes to the nobleman's carriage and fulfill his greedy sins. You know what to do?" Hidan whispers to me.

We were crouched behind a bush and though it seemed a little ridiculous, Hidan was a ninja through and through. He knew how to conceal his chakra and made sure the both of us were completely quiet, don't know how.

I nod quickly despite the feelings of self-doubt simmering in the bowels of my gut. This was almost an ideal situation for me to kill myself but honestly speaking, I didn't want to die a painful death.

I was suicidal but also a coward among other equally shameful things; I wanted an easy death without pain or fear. My lips pressed together and I count down.

3, 2, 1...

Everything happened at once.

Hidan whipped out his scythe and it took the first decapitated head rolling towards the caravans for hell to break loose. There was screaming in all directions, limbs flailing wildly and if they were unlucky, lopped off in the next second.

"Hikari!" Hidan bellowed out, a spray of red covering his grinning face.

Dodging a falling, armless body, I held up two fingers to my chest and channeled both chakra.

Call for the power child and it will call for you…

Jashin's voice rung out like a tolling bell as the red glow and markings appeared, covering my body and spreading out in thick lines. The pattern seemingly merged with the blood on the ground, I noticed, because it expanded even farther than it had earlier with just Hidan's blood. As the pattern grew and congealed, thicker and thicker until the lines looked solid, they stopped all who was stepping on them.

Surprisingly, Hidan didn't get stuck like everyone else did. He was moving about freely, cutting down everyone who stood still as a statue though he was constantly stepping onto the pattern below.

I was half tempted to ask the voice in my head on whether it was because Hidan was "registered" into my chakra or something but that didn't really matter right now. Not when there was a person leaping towards me- cleverly counteracting my circle- with a katana in hand.

My eyes widened but I willed myself to keep up the technique, not wanting to free the other people stuck and cause more trouble. The person bounding towards me was almost near and I could hear each thump of my heart. A quickening rhythm egged on by the sudden adrenaline.

Maybe if I was lucky the katana will puncture me straight through my heart and kill me. It can't be that bad, right?

I tried to convince myself but I was scared and alone and I knew it was going to hurt. Tears seeped out of my eyes but I kept my mouth shut. It's been years since I've made a sound when I cried and I wasn't about to break that, as stubborn as it sounded.

The man was close enough for his katana to rip through the Akatsuki cloak I was given, a sharp intake of breath at feeling a pinprick of pain. But it was all over when a red and black scythe came rushing towards the man from his right, catching his side and forcefully ripping him away from me as he himself was being ripped in half.

I let out an exhale.

My eyes were forced wide open, wider than it ever had been. The man's body spilled blood onto my face, hands, and chest; showering me in a gory mess. It was the first time I've seen someone killed right in front of me.

Fear still thrummed in my heart but relief soon washed it over. I blinked in surprise when a bloodied hand landed on my head.

"Be careful. If you see another fucker get close, just call and I'll shred 'em." Hidan's voice mumbled out, a frown on his face though he wasn't looking at me.

The rest of the slaughter went by in a blur; my mind was still preoccupied by the death of the man who almost killed me. Thankfully, no one else tried jumping me the rest of the night.

When the entourage of civilians were either dead or incapacitated, Hidan grabbed my shoulder and told me to end my technique. I grunt out in response and lower my hand, the maroon markings disappearing though the red still on my face made it feel like it never went away.

"Go find Kakuzu. I'm gonna sacrifice whoever's left for Jashin-sama." The silver haired nin orders and his hand lets go of my shoulder, the warmth of his hand immediately fading.

I must really be fucked up if I found comfort in a mass murderer's touch, I think as I touch my shoulder. But then again maybe I'm just as crazy as he is. Maybe getting even crazier with the voice in my head and the markings.

The carriage Kakuzu was in was an absolute mess. The entire interior was covered in blood, even up to the ceiling. The only "clean" thing in there was the man currently leafing through some bills, a head resting daintily in his lap.

"...Um, ah, Hidan told me to come here." I flush, embarrassed.

What was I even here for again? Oh yeah, that guy never told me.

Kakuzu stops his counting- and I swear I heard him sigh- and lifts the head in his lap by the hair. The head is obviously the target, the nobleman or something that we were supposed to take out. Right now though, it didn't really look all too "noble", with it's dead, grey eyes bugging out of its sockets and blood crusting around the bottom of its neck.

"Hold on to this. You lose it, I kill you. You drop it, I kill you," Kakuzu tosses the head at me and I nearly drop it right there. Luckily I caught it in time though I was thoroughly grossed out by the fluids that were leaking out of it.

"We're going to head to the town west of here and get the bounty for him. I'm leaving the head with you since that idiot would most likely lose it before we take even ten steps."

Weirdly enough, I laugh at the green eyed man's sense of humor. We both knew who the 'idiot' was and I needed something to get my mind off the face of the man who tried to kill me.

Just when the atmosphere went up a little, Kakuzu just had to ruin it. God dammit.

"Why are you really here?"

"...What do you mean?" The small smile on my face drops.

"Hidan's real damn protective over you, you know that? Says your a literal gift from God. Who are you really? Why the fuck are you getting involved with a group of people like us? If you haven't noticed, we kill people for a living."

A harsh gulp is forced down my throat. Kakuzu was old but he's real keen on this kind of thing apparently. Did he find out about me? No way, no fucking way he could have guessed I wasn't from this world.

No, he must think I'm some kind of spy or something. Makes sense since I literally have an 'in' in the Akatsuki just because of my supposed ties with Hidan's god. The thought of Kakuzu and the rest of the Akatsuki thinking I'm getting some kind of princess treatment from Hidan makes my blood boil, as if they knew about the bruises from Hidan's wrath or the God in my head or the desperate need to stop breathing.

"I'm not here out of my own free will," I grit out angrily. He doesn't know anything, doesn't know how badly I don't even want to be alive.

"I want to be dead but that fuckhead you call a partner stops me at every turn. It's like torture." I finish, my hands clenching around the head in my arms tightly.

Without a sound, Kakuzu's large hand was wrapped around my hair as he's suddenly behind me. I grunt in pain, the roots of my hair being pulled out just from the man's grip.

"You want to die? Trust me, that can be arranged and believe me when I say that it won't be as pleasant as what you've seen tonight," Kakuzu's mask was right next to my temple, warm breath hitting my ear with each word.

"If Hidan doesn't kill you, someone else will."

The eery promise was sealed with a rough shove from the man, pushing me into the bloody carriage. I protected the decapitated head with my body, landing so that my side took the brunt of the impact.

Tears were gathering around my eyes for the second time that night but it wasn't from fear. No, these were angry, hot tears and the feelings of shame and resentment burned a hole within me.

If you're annoyed by how weak Hikari seems like in the story, you're not the only one. Like I've said in the previous chapter, I'm not used to writing this kind of character so bear with me please. Writing is about exploring yourself and breaking out of your comfort zone sometimes so I think it's a good practice for me since not all my stories has to have some super powered protagonist.

Though Hikari does have that special technique with Jashin's circle, it's easily countered by the fact that long ranged fighters can easily just shoot her down or anything so I think it's a good enough ability without it being OP/Mary Sue. She has to be tied to Jashin in more ways than the voice in her head haha

This isn't a HidanxOC fic, I'd like to emphasize! This chapter is filled with a bunch of Hidan-ness but I'm just trying to build up Hikari and Hidan's complex relationship here which is mostly just Hidan viewing her as an object/gift from his god and thus treating her the same way he would his scythe, devotedly but rough-handed. Hikari is exhibiting some Stockholm Syndrome since she's literally sympathizing with her captor at times but it's all part of their dynamics.

Not much in terms of soulmates right now but this is a Naruto OC fic lol

As always, thanks for reading!

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