Bless Our Immortal Souls

3- Ritual

“The ritual...Maru, you found the Hidden Temple of Jashin?!” Hidan asked with evident joy in his voice.

“Yes. Although, it’s not hidden to me anymore. I spent the last 3 years keeping a low profile, that’s why people thought I had disappeared. It was a hell of a time searching for the temple, doing all kinds of rituals and sacrifices to Jashin so he would show me the way. But that’s the reason I came back looking for you. I want to take you—I need you to go with me.”

“Oh you need me?” Hidan raised a suggestive eyebrow at this. “Am I so important to you after all?” he asked playfully only to have her roll her eyes at him.

“Don’t be so full of yourself. You know that the only ritual we are left to do is this one and Jashin made it clear to me that we are both ready for the last ritual. And considering there is the chance of death during this ritual I’d rather have you there, in case one of us dies. If I would have done it when I had the chance and died in the process you wouldn’t even be here...Besides, you’re the only person I truly have full trust in.” she explained as she lowered her gaze staring at her hands.

Hidan stared at her for a while thinking over what she had said. He had heard about the last ritual before and knew that death during the ritual was possible. He couldn’t help but feel glad that she decided to look for him instead of doing it herself alone, and the fact that Jashin also approved of him for the ritual made it all the better. At least that meant that their bonds were still strong and it relieved him that she still trusted him.

He reached for one of her hands and gave it a squeeze making her look up at him.

“Well, what the fuck are you waiting for? Hurry the fuck up and lead me to the fucking hidden temple.” he said with a malicious grin plastered on his face.

“You foul mouth. I’ll hang by your guts if you keep talking dirty.” she smirked as she saw how he gulped at the memory of the time she literally hung him by his intestines like a garden decoration. “Now get ready and take all you need.” she said as she stood and picked up a backpack next to her bed and began packing her stuff.

“Hey, you never told me how the hell you knew I was buried on that hole.”

“Oh right.” she replied while she continued packing. “Well, I spied on Akatsuki at first. I learned that you and some Kakuzu guy were defeated by Konoha ninja. Obviously, you couldn’t be dead so I continued looking for clues and found out in Konoha that between Kakashi and a kid named Naruto Kakuzu was killed, and that you were defeated by a boy of the Nara. It wasn’t so hard after that finding you. I went to the most obvious locations that were Nara territory. And besides, remember that the shadows are my friends and each one belonging to a person is unique.”

“Oh...Wait, Kakuzu’s dead?!” Hidan asked in shocked realization.

“Guy with stitches all over his body?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, he is. His body was brought to Konoha for investigation.”

“Haha! Who’s the superior one now! And he acted all high and mighty!! Hahaha!!” he laughed hysterically from just imagining Kakuzu dead.

“Hidan, you know you are basically useless without your head attached to your body as so am I.”

“Feh! Now you show sympathy for a bastard you didn’t even know.”

“I’m just saying Hidan, that it doesn’t make you any superior.”

“Whatever. He died and I can’t.”

“Hidan.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up and pack.”

“Hidan what’s keeping you?” Maru asked out loud though maintaining her calm.

“Wait the fuck up! I’m fixing my hair!! It was all messed up and you didn’t bother to even fix it!!” he yelled outraged as she sighed. A few moments later he stepped out slinging on his backpack and gave her a scowl.

“It looked fine just the way it was.” she commented as they began their travel.

“Oh, and now you decide when I look fine or not?” he asked raising an eyebrow at her.

“Again, Hidan, I’m just saying.” she sighed. “Aren’t you wearing a shirt? I left you one on the bed.”

“Hell no! I don’t do shirts. If I was blessed by Jashin with such a wonderful body, I might as well display it with fucking pride.” he replied in a victorious and proud tone.

“At least you’re wearing pants and shoes...” Maru muttered with a sigh as she observed his exposed torso, which was only decorated with a strap that she gave him to conveniently hold his scythe and his Jashin rosary.

“So, anyways, what’s our route?”

“The temple is located in one of the southern islands of the Water Country. Right now we’re in the western outskirts of the Fire Country. Even though it might be risky, but I decided we should continue south and keep traveling along the south part of Fire Country, considering the route is shorter.” she described the route they were to take as Maru led them both away from where there might be roads. “If we don’t face any delays we should be there in at least 5 or 7 days it all depends.”

“Damn it. They’ll be sure looking for us in the Fire Country. Can’t we just take the long way?”

“There you go complaining again. Don’t worry; I’ve hidden our trail well. And if we do face any trouble we’ll just have to dispose of it.”


By the end of the day they had reached a small town where they lodged in for the night. Maru sat by the window of their hotel room staring out at the starry night as she held in one of her hands her Jashin rosary. She really was looking forward to the ritual and seeing Jashin during the ritual. She remembered perfectly the day she became immortal along with Hidan.

She sat in her own circle praying before the ritual began. All those years she had been a loyal and devoted follower of Jashin and she was finally worth it to perform the Rebirth ritual. She really hoped that Jashin would be in her, and Hidan’s, favor. The priest spoke up and she opened her eyes. She took a quick glance at Hidan, who was in the circle next to her, and then turned her attention to the priest. In front of Hidan and herself another couple of male and female sat in their respective circles. The four of them had been chosen worthy to go through the ritual...but only 2 of them would wake up. Or maybe none would wake up.

“Now loyal followers of Jashin and students of mine. The time has come to determine which of you is worthy to continue carrying out Jashin’s judgment. Now then, may Jashin be with you during this trial. You may begin the ritual as I had instructed” the priest declared.

Hidan and Maru gave each other one last glance of support before stabbing their chests and falling into darkness.

Maru’s thoughts were interrupted when she felt a pair of strong arms embrace her from behind and a face nuzzling against her neck.

“Hidan, what are you doing?” Maru inquired as Hidan brushed his lips against the skin of her neck.

“What do you think I’m doing?” he retorted as he planted a soft kiss on her shoulder. “Trying to make you feel better and make up for the time we’ve lost.”

“I feel just fine, Hidan. And there’s no time to make up for; time doesn’t affect us after all.” she replied calmly, though she still didn’t push him away, she made no response whatsoever.

“Come on, don’t be like that.” Hidan whined as he rested his chin on her shoulder letting out a sigh. “Didn’t we have something?”

“I...I don’t know, Hidan.” she whispered placing a cold hand over one of his warm hands.

“You’re freezing...” he stated as he felt the coldness of her skin tingle his. It just seemed as if she were dead. “Come on, don’t be so gloomy. How ‘bout a kiss?” he grinned suggestively as he searched for her eyes.

“I’m not cold...” she whispered softly avoiding his eyes. It’s not that she didn’t want to continue the relationship they’ve had back then. It was just that she’d felt alone without him the last 3 years-though she wouldn’t admit it- and she’d never been one to associate with many people. Her dedication to Jashin had been 24/7 the last years and there just came a moment when she just felt like she stopped being human. Yes, it had only been 3 years, and in her immortality that would have been nothing, but being physically alone made those years seem even longer and her heart became colder. And yet, what worried her the most was if Jashin really wanted them together. Sometimes she wondered; was it Jashin who provoked their separation 3 years ago? She didn’t know the answer to that, even though in her prayers she had asked Jashin, he hadn’t talked to her in such a long time.

Hidan said nothing and simply grunted as he let her go and stood up walking over to his bed to retire for the night. He would have told her how much he missed her; her presence, her touch, her voice, everything. But he couldn’t bring himself to. It seemed as though a long void was separating them now. He wondered if Jashin really wished for their reunion.

Several minutes after Hidan went to sleep Maru decided it was time to call it a night after she gave her prayers to Jashin. She tried her best to find a comfortable position to sleep in, but it proved difficult. She stared at Hidan’s back as he slept soundly and felt a bit envious that he found slumber so quickly. Her thoughts troubled her and a voice in her head kept repeating over and over, ‘Why are you like this? Didn’t both of you go through the rituals together? Didn’t you watch each others backs for so many years? Cared for each other? Fought together? And now, what? You’re just gonna let it all fall apart, even after you were the one who looked for him?’

Maru groaned in frustration as she sat up and stared at Hidan in the other bed. Determined, she stood from her bed and walked over to his. She slipped quietly under the covers and embraced him from behind, pressing her body against his back. Hidan stirred awake and took a glance over his shoulder at Maru.

“I lied; I’m cold.” was the only thing she said before sleep finally came to her. Hidan found himself smirking as he felt her soft breathing against his back soothe him back to sleep. It was just as things were back then.