Sorry, working on a lot of stuff and only recently had time to really do any writing. A few other stories will be updated soon too. I have real excuse other than Life TM. Let's go!
Tazuna Kawamizu was not a religious man. He fully acknowledged the supernatural existed. He totally accepted he didn't understand how the world worked or why anything happened as it did 90% of the time. He had lived by the "shit happens then you die" creed his entire life; valuing his own experiences with pain, loss, and the occasional triumph over devotion to some distant being that may or may not be all it's been hyped up to be. However, when coming home to your daughter nervously serving your best awamori label to a literal GOD lounging on your sofa like he owned the place, you kind of start to consider the faith.
Just a bit.
"Took you long enough." Rumbled from under his face bandages, narrowed eyes locked on the elderly man. "Leave the bottle kiddo and go back to... whatever you were doing. Sorry to spook ya."
"A-alright." Tsunami stuttered. She fumbled with her hands not sure where to put them as she helplessly turned to her father. "Wel-welcome home d-d-daddy."
Tazuna recognized the indecisiveness in her eyes. Even after clearly being dismissed, his brave little girl was afraid to leave him alone with the deity she had been entertaining for who knows how long. The fact that at least one empty White Peacock bottle sat on the coffee table didn't ease his nerves about the time.
"Kid, I ain't gonna eat your dad." Those cold black eyes rolled hard.
"...you want me to design a temple?"
"Yep." The last of the bottle vanished in one huge swig. Unmoved wrappings still bone dry.
"I'm a bridge builder." Tazuna couldn't help the utter deadpan delivery. He was too tired to be incredulous. Exasperation required very little energy.
"I fail to see how that's an issue."
"I fail to see how it's not. Sir, I don't have any experience with enclosed structures, especially not ones designed as places of worship. Bridges and fountains are all I have ever built or supervised." Migraine ahoy.
"Well, considering 70% will be an open garden with ponds and streams, you sound perfect. Most of the rites are meant to be outdoors, under the night sky. The temple is to be a gift for the new moon Kami'."
New Moon kami...
Fuck...
Tsunami had once done quite a bit of research for her History class about the classifications of the 'gods' of this world. There were 3 main categories.
Primordials were essentially without form, the literal essence of the world. That which cannot be escaped. Concepts of existence, death, time etc. From them came the second type.
The Olden Gods are that and more. They can represent the same qualities of a Primordial but are also independent of them. Unlike them, though, the old gods require worship and prayer to maintain their power but not necessarily their existence. For example, Jashin (He Who is Deathless) is a very popular deity in Cloud. Basically a god of death, most of his followers are a bit human sacrifice happy. Something they believe honors him with more power than simple prayer. Or literally any non violent ritual. In turn, he has more power to 'bless' his loyal worshipers (he preferred not to dwell on what those whack jobs considered a blessing).
The New Kami though...they were on a whole other level. They didn't need worship for their power but it still boosted it greatly. They just...are.
Lord Zabuza, was a New Kami. Primarily a water god, he was the son of the Olden Goddess of the Moon who was no longer around. Because he hacked her to pieces... after beating her nearly to death first. To be fair, she started it by murdering one of her own attendants whom he had fallen in love with. For no other reason than a question of loyalty to him over her.
Yes. She killed an innocent mortal because she was jealous of the attention given to her own son. If she literally froze her own heart like legends say, that tracks. She had cared only for maintaining her own power and there could be no other gods before her in her own domain. And boy could she be wrathful. Like, tsunami waves several miles inland, wrathful.
The hilarious part of the whole ordeal? Up until Yuri (the unfortunate devotee few versions of the story agreed on the gender of) took their last breath, Zabuza didn't give two shits about being worshiped. He was content being the minor god of Mist's rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. A small fry. He didn't exactly approve of his mother's cruelty but didn't really care enough to do anything about it. The instant his lover perished, the little minnow transformed into a megalodon hellbent on watching the woman who birthed him die slowly in sheer agony. Being sliced apart bit by bit while still alive (and made to eat some of those bits) fits that description to a tee.
Ever since, those who had risen up in defense of, or to avenge their divine mistress had their very souls anchored to her slayer's sword. Now unable to die no matter what happened to them, they became his legion forced to obey without question. Lord Zabuza had no qualms about brutally killing and resurrecting them on a whim. With that as a cautionary tale, wouldn't you want to be on his good side?
Kami, new and olden, had sacred items. Things that were instantly recognized as "their's". Vultures were a standard at Jashin temples because, duh. But New Gods had often less than obvious symbols. The Sannin, a trio from Fire, were a healer goddess who's token animal was the slug, a nature god known for toads and a god of innovation represented by snakes. The New Moon of Mist? An albino peacock. Beautiful. Elegant. That also happened to be way more vicious and far stronger than anything that delicate looking had a right to be.
But that was just it. Unlike many Kami old and new, he wasn't big on 'divine retribution'. Was not so aloof as to only hear the prayers of those who made offerings to him. Thought classism bred weakness and the expectation you are "owed" something from the world and held firm that anyone in need of aid should have it. Especially in situations beyond their control.
For all these reasons, The Demon of the Bloody Mist was beloved by millions.
The same asshole who said those terrible things to Mirror Haku before snapping his neck with a casual flick of the wrist. Who had him hunted down and tied up first. Who had clearly, by his own admission, had his lackies raise him as their own child to be a sacrifice to him.
Wait.
How did he know any of that? Like he was in Tazuna's head and watching him at the same time?! What the fuck-
"It's you again." Mirror Zabuza snarled. At some point during his internal freakout, Tazuna had left the room. The demon looked down at the empty alcohol bottle then closed his eyes. "Do you not have a life?"
"Not like I can control the things this fucked up mirror shows me." Naruto mumbled.
"Oh, so you're just dicking around with magics you don't understand. Outstanding. Cuz that shit always works out dandy don't it? Are there no elders to keep dumbfuck kids from doing stupid shit in your world?"
Holy hell. He heard him?!
"Yes dipshit. Look, I ain't thrilled to have some snot nosed witchling treatin my life like a fuckin peep show. I like my privacy."
"Hmph. Well if you got any bright ideas about how to make this a normal mirror I'm all ears buddy. And I'm a ninja not a witch! We don't have that 'magic' nonsense here." Naruto huffed back.
"Hate to break it to ya brat but the fact that mirror does anything other than show reflections means magic in some form exists where you are. The mirror could be enchanted. YOU could be magical. Dunno."
His face adopted a pondering expression. Conveyed mostly by his eyes as most of his face remained bandaged. Naruto knew he could be heard but wasn't sure if he could be seen too. It certainly felt like Mirror Zabuza was peering into his soul.
"Ah, so I remind you of someone in your world. Or rather several of those you've peeked in on do. Interesting." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder..."
The hyperactive blonde sputtered like mad, valiantly trying to recover orientation. Something had latched onto his chakra and basically suplexed him into the dirt-
Hadn't he been in a house?
Slowly, he stood up taking stock of the area. It looked to be a forest. Though one patch of it was full of so many different flowers, bushes and colored leaves in clear designs it couldn't possibly be natural. So some rich person's overly extra garden. The rather large house partially obscured by trees was a good clue too. Nearby, a herd of deer grazed by a stream. As one, all 8 or so looked up and directly at the blonde. So animals could see him. If these deer were like the ones back home, maybe this was the Nara compound.
"I really can't understand how you managed to tame Bloodshade." A familiar voice huffed. "It's like hearing a fluffy bunny tamed a wolf with rabies."
"He's not an animal Connie. I mean yes he's kinda intense sometimes but he can be super sweet too." That was Mirror Neji or Delphi.
"Ah yes I'm sure that's consoling to the families of those guys he tore apart last week." A grreen tinted hand swept a stray lock of blonde behind a slightly pointed ear.
"Ok, that was a bit of overkill." The brunette blushed.
"Not when you consider their intentions were to debauch the helpless pretty young thing sitting alone under a tree." A monotone Naruto associated with a certain bug user replied.
Strolling through the brush was Delphi, dressed in the same outfit as before. To his left, this world's Ino in a violet dress that seemed to contrast with her skin looking to be full of chlorophyll. Rippling in a totally not normal way as she walked, each step revealed her to be barefoot. On his right, Shino. The glasses this version wore were more like a blackout visor. He was waay paler than the one he knew too. Well from the bare minimum of skin showing, that was just a guess. A black trench coat buttoned up to his mouth, dark brown boots that fully enclosed his feet and holding a parasol to shade himself. Exposing at least one black leather glove on the hand holding it.
"What?!"
"So he didn't mention the guys that basically stalked you for two hours before you decided to rest in the shade were offering you a drugged water bottle? For Kami sake, what's the point of being one of the most powerful psychics in generations if you don't actively look into your own future every once in a while?" Shino scoffed. "And of course Shade wouldn't tell you and have you freak out, rather let you believe he was simply jealous. He didn't even feed on them, such a waste."
"For Fuck sake Xyn." 'Connie' sighed. "Why are you and your psycho friends so extra?"
"This from the girl who's clique is called Hell's Belles."
"Shut up Mr Sinister Six."
"Guys..." Delphi sighed. "We ALL weird out mortals."
"You're as threatening as a wet kitten. You don't look any different than the girl next door and I'd kill to have that. I'm green, literally descended from a tree that got curious about mortals and Xyn's skin is a terrifying shade of white and can be poisonous to touch. We terrify the normies by existing. Connie sighed.
"One could argue that makes Delphi so much more frightening, Aconite. After all, who would suspect the fragile peach could get so upset he breaks reality?"
"So extra. Anyway, how's the hubby?" the blonde waved him off. "And that whole situation?"
"Well, Lady Eir confirmed I'm fine. You dad says my mind is fine too. Not pregnant either." the last part was muttered. "Grandfather more or less implied she didn't know what she was talking about and your father was biased in favor of creature heritage and got thrown out the exam room window by Yoshino-sama. She's surprisingly strong for a mortal woman. Shade is kinda tired so he's resting tho."
The trio walked past towards the house. As they vanished into the thicket, the scene faded out to Naruto's room.
So, yeah. Gotta cram in that world building. Just to see who cares, the friend groups will be introduced soon.
Hell's Belles
Delphi (Neji)
Aconite (Ino)
Banshee (?)
Iron Maiden (?)
Valkyrie (?)
Sinister Six
Xyn (Shino)
Bloodshade (Shikamaru)
Hellion (?)
DesertStorm (?)
Inque (?)
Reaper (?)