At age 11, Uzumaki Kushina, future genin of Konohagakure no Sato; feminist and self-proclaimed prodigy, sat on a swing outside the academy in deep thought- oblivious to the flash of yellow in the corner of her eye belonging to that weirdo peeking at her from behind a tree.
"Hmm… requires a minimum of two players…" she mumbled to herself.
Lifting her head, she frowned at her classmates- scattered on the lawn before her- ignoring the boy with big blue eyes trying to get her attention.
"Not good enough!" She exclaimed, standing abruptly and stomping away.
Namikaze Minato quickly retracted his partially outstretched hand with a blush.
##
"What is she doing, Yuki?" A woman dressed in an elaborate kimono with her hair in a loose bun peaked into the Uzumaki mansion's library, "Is she…is she studying?"
"Hai, Shizuka-sama," Kushina's lady in waiting nodded worriedly, "She has been there for 15 minutes already, ever since she returned from the academy."
Uzumaki Shizuka's eyes widened, "That long? Could it be the Kyuubi's influence?"
"Shall I consult Mito-sama?" Yuki asked.
Shizuka shook her head, "No need, I will go myself."
##
'So ninja can summon animal ninja's from millions of miles away?' Kushina sat back thoughtfully, 'And all they have to do is create a contract?'
She pulled out a scroll, bit down on her thumb and wrote out a contract with her own blood:
I, Uzumaki Kushina, give permission to the person who holds this scroll and becomes a signee of this scroll to summon anyone of my clan –ttebane.
"There!" She signed her name as the first summoner, "Now I'll be able to summon Kaede nee-san from Uzushio."
She practices the hand seals as depicted in the tome in front of her and, when she deemed herself ready, slammed her still bleeding fingers onto the floor.
"Kuchiose no Jutsu!"
She heard a horrified gasp before the room was suddenly engulfed in a cloud of white smoke.
##
Uzumaki Mito knew that her strength was beginning to fail. Every day she felt her strength diminish as the new container grew stronger and stronger. Death was near, very soon she will lose all strength and she welcomed the short Kyuubi-free rest she enjoyed now before joining her husband on the other side. She lived a long, long life and she watched many loved ones die.
'Nothing can rival solitude,' is what she thought each morning as she took her tea and looked outside her window at the cherry blossom tree that her husband planted outside her room especially for her.
And then her niece came running in, "Kushina…," She stopped to catch her breath and Mito sat up straighter at the mention of the new jinchuriki, "I caught her studying." The last part was said in a whisper.
Mito's eyes turned sharp, "Are you sure?"
"Positive! Yuki said she was at it for 15 minutes already."
"Finally something exciting, get my walker, Shizuka-chan," she said as she reached for her hairpins with the seals designed to keep her hair up. "An Uzumaki never studies for 15 minutes straight! Especially not a jinchuriki Uzumaki. Your daughter might be on the brink of destroying Konoha."
"That bad?" Shizuka asked incredulously as she helped her aunt up.
Mito looked her in the eye, "If we're lucky."
They hobbled towards the library as quick as they could. When they reached the doors Mito threw her walker aside and pushed at them, her Uzumaki strength not failing her as the doors swung open.
"Kuchiose no Jutsu!"
She gasped, they were too late.
She watched in amazement as the smoke cleared to reveal a small blonde haired boy, about 6 years of age, holding a can of paint in one hand and a brush poised as if to paint in the other.
The boy seemed stunned for a moment, then he noticed the other presences in the room with him and quickly hid his tools behind his back- giving Shizuka and Mito a sheepish grin.
"Who are you?" Mito demanded.
"Uzumaki Naruto –ttebayo!" He brought up his fist, still clenching the paintbrush that was currently dripping paint on the expensive wooden floors, "Remember it!"
Mito turned to Shizuka, "Take him to Hiruzen-kun, I am too old for this."
"Who are you, Obaa-san?" He asked, dropping his paintbrush and can to the floor where it noisily clanged and splattered everywhere.
Shizuka winced.
Mito drew herself to her full height, "I am Uzumaki Mito, wife to the Shodaime Hokage- Senju Hashirama." Her noble mien caused all to forget about the paint splattering's everywhere while all looked at her in awe.
There was a couple seconds of silence before, "…Man, you must be one old hag."
Mito watched at Kushina started to laugh her crude laugh. Naruto was startled by the sound and turned to look at his previously unnoticed summoner. His mouth and eyes formed 'o's' and he moved towards her with an arm outstretched.
He grasped a lock of her red hair and stared at it in amazement, then turned cerulean blue eyes to her face and smiled, "Pretty!"
Mito could literally see Kushina melt into a puddle at the 6 year olds feet. Her eyes turned to them, then. The softness in her eyes hardening to a stubborn glint.
"I'm keeping him!"
##
Naruto stared up at the man before him, "Wow, Jiji! What happened to all those lines and spots on your face?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the tiny boy whose hand was clutched possessively by Kushina. "Uzumaki Naruto, you say?" He addressed Shizuka who nodded in agreement.
"Kushina-chan summoned him with this scroll?" He held up the scroll in question.
"That was the summoning contract she used, yes."
The Hokage turned back to the boy, "Where are you from?"
The boy looked at him incredulously, "You already know that, Jiji! I'm from here!" He looked out the window uncertainly and added, "Konoha!"
Mito spoke up then, "It is reasonable to assume that he is from the future."
The Hokage, due to the nature of the issue and Mito's involvement, was summoned to the Uzumaki Mansion, rather than all four of them going to the hokage tower.
Hiruzen hummed in agreement, "Who are your parents, Naruto?"
He looked up from the scroll he had begun to peruse when he received no answer. To his surprise the boys eyes where filled with tears and he looked at Hiruzen like a hurt puppy.
"I asked you that just the other day, Jiji!"
Hiruzen sighed tiredly when Kushina and Mito glared at him.
How was he supposed to know?
This was going to be a long day.