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Shades of Crimson	By : Onileo Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 2074 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; that honor belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. My fanfiction is for entertainment only and is not intended for financial gain.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Chapter 13
          The evening air was cold and damp. A handful of weary shinobi trudged along the muddy road, heads down to keep the dying light out of their eyes as they walked. Hidan walked several yards behind, nervously twirling his katana. Three long years had passed since he last traveled this road, and now he was back home. The second great shinobi war was finally over, and Kumogakure had lost. Its allies suffered the brunt of the damage, and the Village Hidden in Hot Water was hit harder than any of them. Out of nearly two dozen ninja sent to aid Kumo from their tiny village, only five made it back. Hidan's entire team was annihilated, and the only reason he wasn't lying in the dirt with them was because they sacrificed themselves so he could defeat their opponents. But even with the heavy losses, the remaining ninja had made a name for themselves with their fierceness in battle. Only Kirigakure could claim to have more bloodthirsty shinobi.
          But now they were all tired. The trip back in the winter weather had taken its toll, and Hidan felt weary to his very bones. All he wanted to do at the moment was sleep. But if he wanted to be able to move in the morning, he had to work out his sore muscles. There was nothing better for that than a soak in one of the hot springs. But he didn't want to be around anyone at the moment. The thought of looking into the villagers' faces as they announced their defeat was too much. So he let the others get further ahead of him before he silently turned off the road and headed for the spring just outside the village. The vapor from the hot water hung heavy in the cold air, making it hard to see until you were nearly upon it. Luckily, it was unoccupied, so Hidan slowly stripped down and stepped into the steaming water. It sloshed around his chest as he sat down, sighing as the heat began working its magic, warming him and loosening his stiff muscles. He sat there, enjoying the warmth for a few minutes before he ducked his head under, wetting his short silver hair and running his hand through it to slick it back.
          Raising his head, he froze as he realized he wasn't alone. Wiping his eyes, he frowned, ready to lay into whoever was disturbing him. It morphed to a grin as he caught sight of the pale skin, long white hair and flat black eyes of Yume. She was sitting on the edge of the spring, staring straight ahead. She must have sensed his chakra close by and came to greet him. As stoic as she looked, he didn't miss the slight curve of her mouth that was as close to a smile as she ever got. Leaning back, he drank in the sight of her. Once again, she had changed. Her face had thinned some, losing all of its youthful roundness. But she had filled out everywhere else, her body fully that of a woman. Desire slammed into him, and Hidan quickly squashed it. He had lost all traces of innocence, both on the battlefield and off, but he was fairly certain she had remained as aloof and untouchable as she always was. But what if she did find someone? Would she even tell him? A stab of jealousy hit him, and he frowned at his sudden possessiveness. She wasn't a child anymore; she could do whatever she damn well pleased. Distracting himself by edging closer to her, he broke the silence.
          "Did you miss me?" he asked in a teasing voice. She lifted her eyes to meet his, but he quickly dropped his gaze to the swirling water to avoid her genjutsu. He wanted to hear her voice again, hear it without the note of desperate pain that had haunted him every time he thought of her. "Talk to me, Yume. I know you can." he commanded.
          She remained silent for a long time, and Hidan looked back up at her. She looked like she was struggling with some decision, the merest hint of emotions fleeting across her face. Finally she spoke, her voice quiet and low. "Alright."
          "So, if you could talk all this time, why haven't you?" he asked.
          "Because the elder is right. I have a bloodline limit, but it has nothing to do with my eyes. I can compel people to do as I command just by speaking to them." she said softly.
          "That's an awesome gift! You could have anything you want just by saying it." he said excitedly.
          "It's a curse, not a gift." she replied coldly.
          "I don't see it."
          "When I was four years old, my parents got into an argument. I watched my mother command my father to kill himself in a fit of anger. Of course, he had to do it, and when my mother realized what she had done, she took her own life in her grief. It was then that I knew my voice was a weapon, and if anyone knew about it, they would use it to their advantage. So I ran away from my village, vowing never again to speak so I wouldn't hurt anyone. I learned to use genjutsu to communicate when I needed to, but it usually just made people more afraid of me." she explained.
          Hidan watched a tired expression cross her face, as if speaking about her past had drained all of her energy at once. They lapsed into silence, and it was then that Hidan noticed that darkness had fallen completely. The temperature was dropping rapidly, and a light shower of snow began to fall, as if Yume's genjutsu had somehow made its way into reality. Standing up, Hidan stepped out of the spring and began dressing, uncaring that Yume was still there watching him. He always used to soak in the spring after their training sessions, and she would often wait on him to finish before going home. She never said anything about it bothering her, and after a while, he didn't even think twice about it. After he was done, she stood and together they walked to the road and into the village. Usually, they would have gone their separate ways by now, but she followed along behind him, as if she were afraid he would leave again as soon as he was out of sight.
          "I like your hair that way." she said, out of the blue. "I never did think long hair suited you."
          Hidan glanced over at her in surprise. It was probably the first time she had ever voiced an opinion on anything trivial. "Yeah? I'll have to keep it that way, then."
          They were nearly to the head elder's house when a commotion from that direction caught their attention. Rolling his eyes, Hidan groaned. "Fuck! I'm home for five damn minutes and already shit hits the fan."
          The corners of Yume's mouth tugged upward into her small smile. They reached the elder's house a minute later to find most of the remaining shinobi gathered in the garden. Matsu was there as well, standing next to the elder. Joining them, Hidan walked over to one of the men who had returned with him that evening as Yume went to stand next to her benefactor. "What's going on?" he asked.
          The shinobi looked at him. "The head elder's about to make an announcement."
          The words were barely out of his mouth when the elder cleared his throat and raised his hands for silence. The garden went deathly quiet, all eyes turned to the thin, wrinkled face that had led them for the last forty years. "The counsel and I have met with Matsu today, and we have discussed the future of the village. Far too few ninja have returned from the war that was not our own. Tonight, our wives and children weep for losses that were unnecessary and vain. We have decided that we are tired of it. The council voted on what we should do, and it was decided that the Village Hidden in Hot Water shall be a shinobi village no longer."
          Shocked silence went through the small crowd. Finally the ninja beside Hidan spoke up. "What are we going to do to survive? The shinobi provide the village's main source of income."
          At this, Matsu stepped forward. "We are going to use the village's untapped resources. Starting tomorrow, renovations will be underway to convert the hot springs into a resort that will attract visitors from the neighboring countries and beyond. We estimated that we will not only make enough to survive, but to prosper greatly."
          Hidan stared at nothing as the faces of his teammates and the other ninja who had died in the war flashed in his mind. Bodies laid quickly in the shallow earth because there were too many to bring home. Rage flew over him. They hadn't even had a memorial service yet, and already they were spitting on their graves. Lifting his ice blue eyes, he glared at his longtime rival. "What? This is fucking ridiculous! What about our pride and dignity? The dignity of your sister, who died for her village? Are you saying we should just throw it all away and cater to a bunch of lazy ass tourists? You said it yourself. Being a shinobi is our way of life!"
          Matsu sneered at him. "The counsel has already voted. If you don't like it, Hidan, you can leave."
          Hidan's eyes narrowed. "I'll gladly become the last missing ninja of Hot Water. And it'll be worth it, because you are going to pay for this insult to everyone who ever gave their life in the name of being a shinobi of this village. Die, you worthless prick!" he yelled as he charged forward, drawing his katana.
          Matsu pulled a kunai from his pocket and rushed forward. As they met, Hidan was surprised to find his first attack blocked. The brunette sneered. "Did you think that wisp of girl was the only one learning the ninja arts without going to school? My family made sure that I could carry out my revenge on you. I should be the one recognized as the best ninja in the village, not a second rate shinobi who befriends demons!"
          Hidan pushed Matsu back as a fury he had never known swept over him. "I'm so sick and tired of hearing that shit! Fuck all of you! You want to see a demon? You got it!" he screamed.
          Cries of "Protect the elder!" and "Someone stop him!" rang out as Hidan charged the closest person to him, which happened to be Matsu's father. As their weapons clanged, the garden went wild. The shinobi that were standing there rushed forward, drawing weapons and forming hand seals. Two of them had nearly reached Hidan's back when a blur of white landed behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, Hidan grinned. Yume had come to his aid. She had picked up a scythe that was leaning against the gardening shed, and swung it in a wide arc, pushing the oncoming ninja back. Once they were out of range, she looked back at him and nodded. She threw her scythe into the air the same time Hidan handed her his katana. She was better with the sword, and the scythe would give him a larger attack range. Catching it as it fell, Hidan spun the scythe in one hand and rushed Matsu's father as Yume charged into the crowd of shinobi behind him.
          The other ninja dodged his attack, and Hidan pressed him. Blow after blow failed to land, and he swore in frustration. It was almost like sparring with Yume. "Stop running, you coward!" he yelled.
          Matsu's father jumped back once more and smirked, glancing over Hidan's shoulder and nodding. Too late, Hidan realized that he had been leading him, away from Yume and her assistance. Turning quickly, he swung the scythe at the three shinobi rushing him from behind. At the same time, Matsu's father leaped forward, catching his exposed back and plunging a kunai into his ribs. Stars exploded behind his eyes as pain roared through his chest. How could he have been so stupid? He started gasping as his breathing suddenly became difficult. His lung had been hit, and he coughed hard, spitting up blood. Knowing he was in trouble, Hidan pulled the kunai from his side and rushed forward. If he was going to die here, he was damn sure going to take Matsu with him and make sure Yume got away safely.
          The shinobi closest to him made the mistake of getting into range. A quick swipe with the scythe and his throat was open, blood spraying into the air. The second tried to help his friend, and he was rewarded with a split torso. The third was slower to go, losing an arm before taking the tip of the scythe's blade in the chest. Things went blurry for a second as the pain in his chest intensified. Then they cleared and Matsu's face was before him. Grinning, Hidan started forward, only to be stopped by an object pushing its way into his stomach. Looking down, his eyes widened to see Matsu shoving another kunai into his torso. He looked up just in time to be hit with a face full of blood. Matsu's head started tilting sideways, and suddenly rolled off his shoulders, revealing Yume behind him, the tip of her katana an inch from Hidan's nose.
          His adrenaline waning fast, Hidan fell to his knees. His eyes tried to go out of focus, but he forced himself to stay alert. He could see the remaining shinobi closing in around them. Now that Matsu was dead, he only had one thing left to do. Drawing in as much air as his damaged lungs would allow, he held his breath and pulled the kunai out of his stomach. A muted scream escaped from between his clenched teeth as he dropped the weapon to the ground, blood from the wound following close behind. Looking up into Yume's flat eyes, Hidan gave her a regretful smile. "Get out of here, Yume. I'm finished."
          She stared down at him and shook her head. Their opponents had nearly reached them, and Yume turned her head and looked at them. "Stay where you are!" she commanded them.
          As if they were puppets on strings, everyone within range of her voice stopped what they were doing and stood still. Dropping her katana, Yume shoved the headless body of Matsu aside and leaned down. Wrapping her arm around his waist, she struggled with Hidan's larger weight until she had him standing. He slung one arm over her shoulders as his other hand reflexively held onto the scythe. Trying to help her as much as he could, they stumbled past the ninja watching their every move with their eyes. Yume ignored them and kept going. Once they were on the street, she looked back at them one more time. Hidan wondered if she was debating on giving them the order to kill each other or themselves. But she just turned back around and headed toward the entrance to the village.

          Hidan opened his eyes and glanced around. The sun was coming up over the mountains, and his shallow breaths puffed upward in little clouds of white. It was bitterly cold now, the wind blowing hard over them. It numbed the pain in his body some, but just barely enough to be tolerable. But if he didn't get out of the weather soon, exposure would claim him before his injuries did. They must have stopped sometime during the night to rest. He had lost consciousness after a couple hours of walking, his body continuing on automatically. Now he was lying under a little outcropping of rock. Yume was lying next to him, draping as much of herself over him to keep him warm while avoiding his injuries. Her eyes were closed, and he could tell by her steady breathing that she was asleep. He was just about to wake her when he felt an unknown chakra signature coming his way.
          He barely had time to shake her arm when it was upon them. Turning his head to glare at the intruder, Hidan did his best to hide his injuries. He was surprised to see a shinobi around his age, with black hair and green eyes, staring down at him. He didn't look concerned in the least at their condition, just curious. He didn't wear a headband marking which village he was from, but he did have an odd looking rosary around his neck. The symbol on it was a triangle surrounded by a circle. Hidan didn't recognize the religion, but that didn't really matter at the moment. He had no interest in finding faith, just getting Yume and himself out of the weather before they both died. Suppressing a cough as he breathed in the cold air, Hidan spoke. "Who are you?" he asked.
          The other shinobi took in the sight of his bloody scythe, which was still in Hidan's hand and at his wounded torso before he answered. "Yaiba."
          At the sound of his voice, Yume lifted her head and looked at him. "Yaiba, we need to get Hidan out of the weather. Take us to some shelter." she said to him.
          Yaiba bent down as Yume slowly stood up and helped her pull Hidan to his feet. As they started walking down the road, supporting Hidan from either side, he looked over at the pale girl, his eyes sharp and calculating. "That's some jutsu you have there." he remarked.
          She didn't answer or look at him, just continued forward, wanting to get someplace safe as quickly as possible. Hidan took in a rattled breath and looked over at Yaiba. "She doesn't talk much." he said in a hoarse voice.
          "I understand why."
          "Where are we going?" Hidan asked.
          "There is a Jashinist temple nearby. You can stay there for now."
          "Jashin?"
          "He is the god I serve." Yaiba explained.
          Hidan rolled his eyes. But at least the conversation was keeping his mind off of his pain. "Let me guess, you're on a mission to spread love and brotherhood to a world that doesn't give a flying rat's ass about your religion."
          Yaiba laughed, the sound carried away from them by the wind. "You certainly have a lot of spirit for someone on their way out. Serving Jashin-sama has nothing to do with love or brotherhood. He's the god of slaughter and those who follow him only deliver death to the world."
          Hidan just stared at him. In his twenty years of life, he had never even heard of such a thing. He had to admit though, his curiosity was piqued. Ninja were around death almost daily. It made sense that there would be people out there that embraced the violent side of their life. The trio fell silent as they walked, the only sound of their passing the labored breathing of Hidan. Their progress was slow, and after a half hour more of walking, Yaiba stopped and pointed with his free hand. "There it is." he said.
          It was a small building with no windows, set into the side of the mountain. The symbol that was on Yaiba's rosary was painted on the door in red. Yaiba pushed it open and they made their way inside. As soon as the warm air hit Hidan's lungs, they tried to seize up, and he coughed hard. By the time the fit subsided, he had lost consciousness, mercifully slipping away from the pain. But it didn't last long. All too soon he was opening his eyes again. They had gotten him to a bed while he was out, and Yume and Yaiba were standing over him, talking to each other. It was strange to listen to Yume talking to someone else. Or anyone, for that matter. But as he lay there listening to them, her voice washed over him, soothing him with its quiet, steady sound.
          "I don't think he's going to make it." Yaiba was saying. "His wounds are too severe. He's already running a very high fever and he's lost a large amount of blood. There aren't any doctors for miles. You should let me do him a favor and send him on to Jashin-sama."
         Yume stared straight ahead like she always did. "There has to be something we can do. Think of everything."
          "I'll try." he said before turning and leaving the room.
          When he was gone, Yume sat next to Hidan on the bed. He was staring at her, sweat running down his fevered face. She still had blood on her clothes, and some of it was splattered on her right cheek. Images of their fight in the garden flashed through his mind and he paled. "Fuck! What did we just do? Every hunter nin in the country will be after us!" he cried out in a panicked voice.
          "Rest, Hidan. We're fine for now. It'll be at least a day before the village will be organized enough to send anyone after us."
          Hidan watched her as she spoke. Even as the shock of what happened was rocketing through his brain, she remained as strong and quiet as ever. She just sat there in her stoic beauty, weathering the storm he had dragged her into. Suddenly he felt bad for getting her into this mess. She was his friend, and she deserved more than the life of a missing ninja. Always having to watch their backs and be on the lookout for bounty hunters and hunter nin. She should be getting married, starting a family, if she wanted one. And he had taken away all chances of her being happy in one moment of angry recklessness. Lifting his hand, he laid it on her arm. "I'm sorry, Yume." he said.
          The corners of her mouth lifted in understanding. "You don't have to apologize to me. You've done nothing to be ashamed of. I was proud to finally be able to fight with you." she replied.
          Yaiba entered the room then, and Yume turned to look at him. "I've went over everything, and I can think of only one way to save him. But the price is very high, if it will even work." he said.
          Yume looked him in the eyes, and Hidan watched as Yaiba stilled. She must have pulled him into her genjutsu, because neither of them moved for several minutes. It irritated him to not know what they were saying, especially since he knew it had something to do with him. He was just about to shake her out of it and demand to know what was going on when another coughing fit hit him. Blood oozed out of the corner of his mouth, and pain shot through his stomach as the spasms in his chest irritated the wound. By the time he had quieted down again, Yume and Yaiba were out of the genjutsu, and she was looking at him. She didn't speak for a long time, and Hidan would have given anything to know what she was thinking. Then without her eyes leaving his face, she addressed Yaiba. "Prepare for the jutsu. I'll do it." she commanded.
          Without a word, Yaiba turned and left the room again. Hidan gave her a confused look. "What the hell are you doing, Yume? What is going on?"
          For the second time since he had known her, tears made their way down Yume's cheeks. Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Sleep." she commanded him. Hidan tried to fight it, needing her to answer him, but her will was strong and in moments his consciousness slipped away.

          When Hidan awoke, the cold of the floor was pressing into his bare back. He groaned as the pain from his wounds reminded him that he was still alive. Low chanting reached his ears, and his eyes opened as he realized that he wasn't alone. Lifting his head off the floor, he looked around him. He was in a large room, and it was very dark. There was a ring of candles around him, and behind that, priests surrounded him, their mouths moving slowly as they went through the rhythm of the chant. He tried to sit up, but the pain in his chest and stomach made moving very difficult. Movement off to the right caught his attention, and as he craned his neck to focus on it, his mouth dropped open.
          Yaiba and Yume were coming towards him. The Jashinist priest was bare chested, wearing only a pair of black pants and his rosary. But it was his best friend that he couldn't stop staring at. Never in his life had he seen a woman as beautiful or sexy as she was in that moment. She was dressed in a sheer crimson gown, her pale shoulders covered by nothing but two small straps. The flickering candlelight bounced off her frame, creating soft shadows in the dips and curves of her body. Her long white hair floated around her, swaying gently in time with each step of her bare feet. Nothing was left to the imagination, and if the pain in his body hadn't prevented him from moving, he might have tackled her right there, audience be damned.
          Yaiba went to stand at Hidan's head, just outside the circle. Two of the priests parted so Yume could enter and walk to his side. Lifting one foot, she stood straddled over his waist before kneeling down. Hidan's eyes widened when she leaned over him, her hair falling around them like a curtain. Her black eyes stared into his blue ones. He thought she might pull him into her genjutsu, but she just watched him, as if she was memorizing his face. Then his shock wore off and he remembered where they were. Glancing up at Yaiba, then back to her, he grabbed her arms. "Yume, what the fuck are you doing?" he whispered.
          She glanced at Yaiba and nodded before looking back down at him. The priest began forming hand seals. It was a complicated series, and when he reached the last one, he held it and began chanting along with the other priests. Their concentrated chakra began to glow a soft red. Closing the distance between them, Yume pressed her lips to Hidan's before sitting up. Raising her hand, he saw that she held what looked like a red ceremonial dagger. Locking her eyes onto his face, she spoke in a steady voice. "I'm sorry, Hidan." she said. "But I can't let you die. Don't move." she commanded.
          The chakra swelled as she lifted her hand and made a long slice in her upturned arm. Blood began pouring out of the wound, and she moved her arm so that it could drip onto the wounds on his torso. Hidan's eyes were wide with shock. "Yume! What the hell are you doing? What did these bastards talk you into?"
          He tried to force himself up, but the more he pushed against her chakra, the more she pushed back. Switching hands, she sliced open her other arm. The wounds were very deep, and she was bleeding so profusely, it had nearly covered his stomach. If she didn't get help soon, she would bleed out and die. Since he couldn't move, he yelled. "Yume, stop! This is fucking crazy! You don't have to die for me!"
          The color was quickly draining from her face, and Hidan watched as her lips began trembling. Gripping the dagger with both hands, she raised it above her head. She looked straight into his eyes. "I love you." she whispered before bringing her arms down, plunging the dagger directly into his heart.
          Suddenly, everything slowed down. The chanting in the room seemed deafening. The red chakra flared and swirled, glowing brighter until it was nearly blinding. As Yume pulled the dagger back out of his chest, a pain unlike anything he had ever known seized him. It made the wounds in his lung and stomach seem like mere scratches. He heard someone screaming. It took him a moment to realize that it was his own voice disrupting the accord of the priests. A weight settled on his chest, and he looked down to see that Yume had dropped the dagger on the floor, and was draped across his chest, her hair quickly soaking up the pool of blood it landed in. He could feel her chakra waning fast, and using all his strength, he lifted his arms and wrapped them around her. She didn't move, but her quiet voice drifted up to him.
          "Embrace the pain, it helps." she whispered. Hidan couldn't answer her, his voice wouldn't work anymore. She continued talking, her words sounding slurred and unsteady, as if she were drunk or nearly asleep. "I want you to do me a favor, Hidan. Forget me. I'd rather you move on and live your life than hate me for what... I've just... done."
          She went limp in his arms. He didn't have time to scream for his loss, because all of a sudden, he started feeling light headed. The pain was still there, but he felt like he could float above it and escape. He couldn't hear the chanting anymore, and he tried to turn his head and look at the priests. Everything was a blur, and he couldn't bring anything into focus. All he could see was the red of the chakra as it swirled over him. Then the world started tilting on its own an instant before everything went white.

          Hidan opened his eyes and found himself staring up through the branches of a tree into a starless sky. There was no moon, and the only light came from a small red paper lantern that hung on one of the limbs. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The air was quite warm, but the silver maple above him was frozen, encased in a layer of clear ice. He lifted his hand to find it covered in a wet red substance that looked a lot like blood. He started to sit up when he realized that he didn't hurt anywhere. His memory returned in a flash and panic washed over him. Was he dead? And if he wasn't, where the hell was he? And where was Yume? Sitting up, he frowned. His body felt weird. He couldn't detect his chakra at all. He opened his mouth to call for Yume when a voice interrupted him.
          "Ah, you're finally awake." it said.
          Snapping his head toward the source of the sound, Hidan frowned. There, walking on a path of black volcanic stone, was a man. His long black hair hung down in his pale face, and as his swirling violet eyes bored into him, Hidan reflexively shuddered. There was something about this guy that screamed evil, and he was instantly on the defensive. Jumping to his feet, he dropped back into a defensive pose and scanned the area for anything he could use as a weapon. "Who the fuck are you?" he asked.
          "I have many names, but you may call me Jashin."
          "Jashin? As in, Yaiba's god, Jashin?"
          "One and the same."
          "Bullshit. Where's Yume at?"
          "Really? If it's bullshit, explain how you wound up in my garden. And to answer your question, she's standing right behind you."
          Hidan whirled his head around, and his eyes widened in shock to see a huge white she-wolf with ice blue eyes standing right behind him. She was staring straight at him, her cold eyes bright with intelligence. Turning back to Jashin, he shook his head. "I don't know what kind of joke this is, but that's not her, Yume's eyes are black."
          "Not anymore." The god said as he released a sinister laugh before snapping his fingers. A mist formed between them, and Hidan suddenly found himself staring into a mirror. His reflection was the same as always, but there was something wrong with his eyes. The pupils were now jet black, the exact same color of Yume's. Confusion and fear hit him. He looked back at the wolf, who walked up to him and stood at his side quietly. His heart hit his stomach as he realized that Jashin was telling the truth, as crazy as it all was.
          "What the fuck happened to us?" he yelled. The mist dissipated and Jashin's face appeared before him again.
          "You were dying. Yume offered her life and soul to me in exchange for saving you. It was really quite entertaining. She's the first one who didn't hesitate or back down at the last moment. Her courage is quite commendable. I normally wouldn't consider such a request, but I'm feeling generous today."
          Anger flew over Hidan. "Entertaining? That was entertainment for you? Fuck you! And that didn't answer my question. Why is she a wolf with blue eyes?" he yelled.
          "Makoto, who was my very first priest, asked me for a companion. Since Yume offered herself to me, I figured that this would be the best use for such an innocent soul. In exchange for her transformation, I offered her one bonus to our original deal. She chose your eyes, which is why hers are blue and yours are now black."
          Hidan advanced on him, anger roaring through him. "Change her back. Now. You have no right to fuck with us like this."
          Jashin smirked. "You've got a lot of spirit. That's good because you're going to need it."
          Hidan knew he shouldn't even ask, but he just had to. "For what?"
          "It's my turn to honor our bargain. I'm going to send you back, Hidan. Since you've technically died already, the only way I can do that is by making you immortal. But it has stipulations. You have to remain in my service, sacrificing others to maintain your life. You can't get without giving."
          "And if I don't?"
          "My bargain with Yume will be broken, and non-existence will await you both. But as long as you remain faithful to me, you will never die and she will remain here, running free with the other wolves, hunting to her heart's content."
          Fear washed over Hidan. If what Jashin was saying was true, Yume's very existence now depended on him. "What if I do something wrong? I don't know a damn thing about being a priest."
          "Don't worry. Yaiba is wise for someone so young. He will show you what you need to know. Listen to everything he says and you can't go wrong." Jashin replied.
          Hidan turned and looked at Yume. The vision of her sitting over him, whispering those words that he never imagined he would hear coming from her entered his head. She loved him. And she had just given up everything for him. Now they were going to be separated again, this time for ever. His heart turned over as the memory of her screaming for him rang in his head. This was just wrong. He didn't think he could leave her alone a second time. "I don't want to go. Can't we just stay together here?"
          "Then what would I have gained for my intervention? Two squatters in my garden? No, Hidan, I'm afraid you have no choice. You have to go back. And it's just about time."
          Jashin approached him. Bending down, he stuck his finger into the stream next to the path, coating his finger in the blood at his feet. Standing back up, he drew a circumscribed triangle over Hidan's heart. As soon as it was completed, Hidan gasped as his body was suddenly invaded by a mass of red chakra. He couldn't move as it wound its way through his system. When it reached his head, he started swaying as he grew light headed again. Things started going blurry, and Jashin quickly grabbed him by the arms, turning him around. "Say goodbye, Yume." he commanded her.
          Sitting on her haunches, the wolf lifted her nose to the moonless sky. She howled loudly, the mournful sound burning its way into Hidan's heart. As the garden began fading from his vision, she howled again, and this time other voices joined her. Just before things went completely white, he caught sight of a massive black wolf with blood red eyes standing beside her. Then she was gone, and he felt himself falling through the bright nothingness.
          When he opened his eyes, he was back in the temple, lying on his back in the circle of candles. Yaiba was kneeling next to him, and the other priests were still sitting silently around the circle. Everything was exactly the same, except for one detail. Yume was gone. His best friend of fifteen years, vanished into thin air. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think as pain roared through his brain. Rage followed quickly, and scooping up the dagger lying beside him, he jumped to his feet. His chest and stomach were still hurting, but he relished it. It helped to take the edge off the void that had just been ripped into his soul. Stalking over to the person closest to him, Hidan grabbed Yaiba and threw him across the room.
          "FUCK YOU, JASHIN!" he screamed. A red haze rose in front of his eyes and everything went black as he rushed into the crowd of priests jumping to their feet.
          When he came to, he was sitting in the middle of the circle, drenched in blood. Pools of it were splattered around the room, running together and dripping into the cracks of the floor. Bodies lay scattered everywhere. The candles were knocked over, and small streams of smoke rose from the extinguished wicks. He looked around at the devastation. Did he do all this? Turning his head, he saw that Yaiba was the only one still alive, standing quietly against the wall. Hidan rose and stalked over to him. He didn't look like he was in shock or afraid. In fact, he looked completely calm, as if he didn't just witness the slaughter of an entire temple of priests. Hidan grabbed him by the neck, and still he never flinched.
          "Why aren't you afraid of me?" he yelled.
          Yaiba looked him straight in the eyes. "Afraid of death? I told you, Jashin is the god of slaughter. And I'm sure he is quite satisfied with your first sacrifice. My brothers knew what would happen when the jutsu was completed, and they accepted their fate. Now, let's get you back to your room so you can heal and I can clean up this mess. I'm sure you want to be alone right now. Tomorrow we will head to the main temple and begin your training as a priest."
          Hidan released him, a look of shock on his face. "How did you know I needed to do that?"
          Yaiba looked away. "My vision was carried with you in the jutsu. I saw everything."
          Stunned, Hidan released him. Yaiba turned and started heading down a dimly lit hallway. Hidan followed him automatically. When they reached his room, Yaiba left him. Already, Hidan could feel his wounds closing up, the pain and stiffness dissipating rapidly. Feeling angry, restless, and out of control, he made his way to the bathroom. Yume's precious blood was still all over him, and as much as he cherished her, the sight of it on his skin sent a fresh wave of pain through him. He made his way to the sink. As he grabbed a cloth and wet it, he glanced at his face in the mirror. He was half afraid to look, knowing that seeing her eyes in his face would bring it all back again. But what he saw shocked him even more. Instead of flat black, his eyes were the same color as Jashin's, a dark reddish violet. Dropping his gaze, he quickly finished cleaning up and left the bathroom. Stretching out on the bed, he stared at the ceiling. His mind was mercifully blank, shutting out everything but the sight of the plaster above him. His chest had finally stopped hurting as his wounds started healing at an amazing rate, and he took a deep breath before sighing.
          "Fucking purple eyes." he complained to no one.

          Hidan laughed maniacally as he hovered his pike inches from his black chest. His adrenaline high, he relished in the wave of pain that had just washed over him. Embracing it, he morphed it to pleasure and grinned. The shinobi that would soon be his next sacrifice stared up at him from where he was lying on the ground. Blood covered both of them, oozing from identical wounds. Savoring the other man's fear, he yelled. "Now die, in the name of Jashin!"
          Taking a deep breath, he plunged the pike through his heart. He felt the curse connect, and the shinobi on the ground started gurgling, blood running from his lips. The pain bounced back to him, and Hidan felt himself falling to the ground as ecstasy swept over him. The pleasure was so addicting, he hadn't even passed out yet, and already he was craving more. He was thankful that he had an eternity to enjoy it. Then his body shut down under the force of the feeling, and everything went white.
          When he came to, he pulled the pike out of his chest and sat up. He was just about to stand, when he froze. He wasn't alone. It was a shinobi, and judging by his chakra, a pretty powerful one. Well, Jashin-sama would be pleased. Two sacrifices in one day. Turning, he leveled his violet eyes on the intruder. Out of the shadows stepped a man barely out of his teens. He had bright reddish orange hair, and piercings covering his face. He was wearing a black cloak with crimson and white clouds. Beside him stood a kunoichi with blue hair and a similar cloak to his. His swirling silver eyes bored into Hidan's and he spoke.
          "Those are not your eyes. Already we have one thing in common." he said.
          Hidan frowned. Memories threatened to surface, but he pushed them as far back as they would go. He had spent the last thirty years burying the past in bodies and blood, and he wasn't about to dredge it up now. Distracting himself, he collapsed his pike and stood. He walked over to where his triple bladed crimson scythe was lying on the ground and picked it up. He took his time winding the cable up, and when he was finished, he glared at the shinobi still standing there.
          "If you're here to fight me, attack already. Otherwise, piss off."
          "I'm not here to fight you. I've heard an interesting rumor about a shinobi that is impossible to kill. I'm always on the lookout for ninja with talent, so I thought I'd come see what all the fuss was about. I'm pleased to see that all the talk was true."
          Hidan just gave him a bored look. He didn't give a damn what anybody said about him. "Who the fuck are you?" he asked sarcastically.
          "My name is Pein and I'm here to recruit you for the Akatsuki."
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Shades of Crimson