Cut roots and burned forests

The twins —the babes— are both chubby cheeked, mewling, squirming, blond haired and black (blue) eyed little things.

They look almost exactly like Naruto.

They look almost exactly like how Minato did.

And when they’re finally presented to Tsunade in the flesh, they’re both wrapped up in different colored blankets. Blue for Aka. Red for Naka. But both blankets have the Uchiha clan’s symbol embroidered into the soft fabric of the blankets.

(There’s no sign of the Uzumaki or Senj clans’ symbol, because of course there wouldn’t be. The Uzumaki clan —and the Senju clan— are virtually extinct, and it’s not like Naruto knows that his family name has any meaning or importance.

It’s not like the brat has been told anything of his heritage, besides a heavily edited and shortened account of the Kyuubi incident. And besides, Minato never had a claim to the Senju name, he never got a chance to claim the name that was his by blood.

No, Minato was a Namikaze from the moment that he was five years old and when Sensei finally found a suitable civilian family to take him in and raise him as their own.)