The Ripples of Time

Deciding What to Do

"What are we doing here, Aki-nii?"

A reasonable question, as Aki had brought the newly teenage boy to the healing island of Uzushio during the middle of training, not even giving a proper explanation beyond the 'clan thing' he gave Kakashi. The two Uzumaki were standing in the middle of a large, destroyed building. The ceiling no longer existed, the starry sky twinkling down upon them. Moss and vines grew along the ancient stone walls and pillars, covering the art only Aki now knew was there. The tile floor was cracked, weeds and plants growing between said cracks and reaching towards the improvised skylight above. Around them were candlesticks and brushes and ink jars of all colors, and powerful chakra slowly moving about the space.

The chakra felt ancient and patient, waiting for eons to be of use once more.

Aki smiled, all teeth and amusement. "You'll see, Kit." He looked up to the sky, narrowing his eyes slightly in thought. "It's almost time."

As soon as the full moon reached the center of where the roof would have been, a giant seal started glowing beneath their feet, a comforting gold contradicting the silver of the moon. "What's going on," Naruto's panicked voice called out.

"Under normal circumstances," Aki started, a big smile on his face, "you would have done this twice before. The first, when you turned 6 and officially got your name and your parent's sign. The second, as soon as you graduated from the Academy. Considering this place was under a bunch of rubble until last week, this was the first opportunity we had to do this."

"But what are we doing?"

The glowing got too bright to see through, and Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, arms coming to protect his face.

When he finally peeled his eyes open, Naruto immediately thought he was dead. A reasonable assumption, seeing as before him were thousands of Uzumaki, long since gone. Some with very traditional clothing or armor like the picture books from the Warring Clans Era depicted, some with civilian clothing gracing their limbs, all with bright hair of varying shades and lengths. Though most seemed to keep it long, pride keeping them from cutting the identifying feature short. No children were present besides Naruto himself, and he didn't know why.

Naruto stood gob-smacked so long, the Uzumaki in front of him either started chuckling or expressing concerned words.

"Did you do nothing to teach the kit," a woman with an elegant kimono and decorative sticks through her buns asked, frowning slightly at Aki.

"There wasn't any time if we were going to make it tonight," Aki stated, shrugging. "We just got back from an out of town mission, y'know."

The woman sighed, shaking her head. "There's nothing to be done now, I suppose." She turned to Naruto, wisdom beyond time in her eyes. "Welcome, Kit, to your naming ceremony. I am known as Mito Uzumaki, leader of the Uzumaki clan before and during my marriage and wife of the First Hokage. I was the first jinchuriki, renowned for my seals and calm demeanor. You may call me 'Grandmother' if you so wish."

Naruto only had one question.

"What?"

It took a bit of explaining, but Naruto eventually got it. "So, basically... the Uzumaki didn't name their children until they turned 6?"

The three Uzumaki in front nodded- Aki, Mito, and an older man named Ashina. The unfamiliar man was the only one to keep his old age in death, his white hair being the only deviant from the shades of red. Minus Naruto's blond, of course.

"And with those names came identifying... seals?"

"Disguised as tattoos and emblems," Mito stated. "A way to bring us together, even when there were too many of us to tell everyone apart. A way to ensure a parent would know their kits were safe, know their partners were safe. So in times of crisis, no one would waste time asking questions about who you were and where you came from, even if you'd never seen them before."