3rd Point of View
Location: Ruins of Konohagakure, Hokage Monument Plateau, Unnamed Planet (Sector 047-Beta), USS Enterprise-D Orbit
The quiet atop the mountain was broken only by the soft rustling of robes and wind brushing against stone. Naruto stood motionless beneath the shadows of the Hokage faces carved into the stone wall his hands gently trembling as he held them out, palms up, to the heavens. The twin seals sun-like on his right, crescent moon on his left glowed with growing intensity, illuminating the solemn expressions of his bound mates surrounding him. The sacred light reflected off their red-trimmed 2350s–2370s-era uniforms, fluttering in the cool breeze of the once-proud village. The energy swirled, not with violence, but with memory generations of lives unlived, paths unwalked, and bonds once severed, now returning to life.
Hinata took a step closer, her eyes wet but unwavering. "I can feel it, Naruto… the moment is here."
"Yeah… I know," Naruto replied softly, breath catching in his throat as the ground itself seemed to pulse with the beat of a long-lost chakra. Then light. Pure, divine, ancient. It bathed them all, washing over Naruto's hands before spiraling upward in concentric rings of gold and silver. The seals burst outward in a pulse that knocked back the dust and silence of eons.
From the center of the sacred stone, figures shimmered into view five women lying peacefully as if asleep beneath a starlit sky.
Konan.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
Anko Mitarashi.
Fū.
Guren.
Their forms were radiant and strong, each clothed in fitted white gowns that barely contained the chakra within them. Receivers black, sleek, and minimal pierced their ears like obsidian jewels, a new type of chakra interface forged from the Six Paths power.
Kaguya opened her eyes first, pale and ancient. "I was never mad… only alone," she whispered, standing to her full celestial height. Her gaze met Naruto's no longer filled with fear, but hope. "The world twisted the tale of a mother who loved too deeply. And it broke me. But I was never gone, just waiting to be found again."
Naruto stepped forward, emotions colliding in his chest like lightning in a bottle. "Then let me say it now," he said, voice cracking, "I never once turned away from those who truly needed love. If being my mate brings you peace, Kaguya… then it's yours. All of you. Always."
The other four opened their eyes one after the other each a rebirth. Konan's storm-blue gaze settled first on Naruto's bound mates, then on him. "You always fought for others… now let us fight for you."
Anko cracked her knuckles, lips curled into a wicked grin. "Well, hell. That was one long-ass nap."
Fū beamed, her chakra tail flicking playfully. "I dreamed of wind… and laughter. And you were always in it."
Guren remained quiet but knelt beside Naruto, placing her hand over his heart. "Still beating. Still kind."
Then, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki appeared in a burst of white flame, joined by Hamura, both solemn and smiling. The Sage of Six Paths stepped forward and raised his staff. "Naruto. You are ready."
Without further ceremony, Hagoromo reached out. Light poured from his palm, striking Naruto directly in the chest. His spine arched as every cell in his body awakened with divine purpose. His eyes momentarily flared into concentric ripple patterns Rinnegan, not in wrath, but in harmony.
"The Six Paths are not of pain," Hagoromo intoned. "But of guidance. Not puppets, but partners."
The light enveloped the five women. Their chakra signatures synced with Naruto's, harmonizing into a single, undying rhythm. With a pulse of energy, they stood as equals strong, aware, complete.
Hinata gripped Naruto's hand, her voice low but steady. "You didn't just reclaim your power, Naruto. You gave all of us back something we didn't know we'd lost."
Mikoto, eyes wide and luminous, whispered, "The Path of the Sage has returned…"
And above them all, watching silently from the edge of the Hokage Monument, Kaguya's smile warm, maternal, and deeply human said what words could not.
Stardate: 41775.57683793748 (October 10, 2364 – 20:40)
Location: Surface of the Unnamed Planet – Training Ground Three, Konohagakure Ruins
The cool night air swept through the decaying remains of Konohagakure, whispering through the broken stones and shattered towers of what was once the proud shinobi village. Even with the stars shining overhead and the Earth beneath their feet, the silence felt holy, almost sacred haunted not by spirits, but by memories of who they once were and the legacy they now carried into the stars.
"I never thought I'd see this place again," Naruto murmured, his voice a blend of sorrow and pride as he stood at the edge of the ruined Hokage Monument. His eyes, once cerulean and filled with mischief, were now deeper seasoned by war, time, and command. "But maybe… maybe this is how we make sure none of this is forgotten."
Behind him, Hinata stepped closer, their daughter Himawari walking confidently beside her. Thirteen years old, but born anew from chakra, quantum energy, and the rebirth of an Undine soul, she wore her flak jacket with the pride of her heritage. The red swirl on her back shimmered as her headband caught the moonlight. "Papa," she said, smiling with both kindness and strength, "we're ready."
In the near distance, nestled between collapsed buildings and moss-covered statues, a Type-8 shuttlecraft sat idle. Its smooth nacelles pulsed faintly, drawing warmth into the surrounding foliage. Konan, Kaguya, Anko Mitarashi, Fū, and Guren sat within its belly silent, reverent, their ears pierced by sleek black receivers like obsidian jewels. Each bore the strength and sorrow of resurrection, each now a Six Path of Naruto's will, heart, and love.
Inside the shuttle, Konan held an ancient scroll of Konoha's full shinobi history unbroken since the founding days. Anko had found an old ANBU blade bearing Naruto's clan crest. Fū clutched a tattered photo of her and Naruto laughing under the summer sun, while Guren smiled as she adjusted her newly sealed crystalline kunai, a relic of her own strength rediscovered. Kaguya… said nothing. She simply closed her eyes and felt the wind again. She had never thought to feel the Earth again at peace.
As Naruto walked toward the shuttle, Ino leaned out from the hatch, calling playfully, "About time you finished staring at rocks, Lieutenant!" Her Betazoid-half twinkled in her playful taunt, but beneath it lay affection too vast to speak.
Samui crossed her arms at the edge of the loading ramp, cool as always, "Enterprise is standing by. Let's move, Lieutenant." The slight smirk on her lips betrayed her emotion. "Before the Romulans or Cardassians figure out we're standing in the middle of a Class M archaeological treasure."
Kurotsuchi, standing near the shuttle's control console, scanned their surroundings like a hawk. The glow of the tricorder matched the sharpness in her eyes. "Perimeter is clear. And I ran a Level-2 Security Analysis on the shuttle's systems," she reported. "All secure. We're good to go." Mabui, leaning against the bulkhead with her Vulcan calm, nodded once in approval. "Her logic is sound. She would make a fine Chief of Security, Naruto."
"Already acting like it," Naruto muttered to himself with a smile. "Damn proud of all of you."
Aboard the Shuttlecraft – En Route to USS Enterprise-D
As the shuttlecraft rose through the dense forest canopy, the lights of Training Ground Three disappeared below them. Silence hung in the air for a moment until Tenten, seated next to Shizuka, broke it. "Did you see the photo Guren found? You were so awkward back then, Naruto."
"I still am awkward," he replied, scratching his cheek. "But I've got a hell of a crew to make up for it."
Mei Terumī let out a hearty Klingon laugh, slapping a hand on the armrest. "You'll need more than charm to run a fleet, Golden Lieutenant." She used the title mockingly, but the pride in her tone could not be denied. "You've earned that nickname field promotion or not."
Naruto looked to the forward viewport, the distant glimmer of the USS Enterprise-D reflecting in his pupils. "Maybe so… but the stars we sail through now will need more than a nickname."
Behind him, Himawari leaned her head against her mother's shoulder. "We'll build something better, right?"
"Yes," Hinata said softly, as her fingers ran through her daughter's dark-blue hair. "Together."
Stardate: 41775.77683793748 (October 10, 2364 – 21:15)
Location: USS Enterprise-D, Briefing Room One
The Enterprise-D's briefing room hummed quietly as the secure channel to Starfleet Command established itself. The holographic display shimmered into life, projecting the dignified forms of Admirals Gregory Quinn, Norah Satie, and J.P. Hanson. Their crisp uniforms and sharp gazes carried the weight of the Federation's admiralty in 2364, and their attention was fixed squarely on Naruto and the group assembled behind him. The air was heavy part judgment, part expectation.
"Lieutenant Naruto Uzumaki," Admiral Quinn began, his tone both measured and scrutinizing. "You and your… team have returned from a planet previously uncharted on Federation star maps. Reports indicate significant archaeological and cultural recovery, and five individuals of considerable power Konan, Kaguya, Anko Mitarashi, Fū, and Guren have now joined you. We must ask directly: are they prepared to integrate into Starfleet?"
Konan stood first, her voice calm yet carrying an undercurrent of conviction. "I lived once for my people and for peace. To remain near Naruto now, I will serve your Federation. My skills in strategy, command, and operations will not be wasted." Her words silenced even Admiral Hanson for a moment, who merely nodded. Kaguya, serene and composed, followed with surprising humility. "For once, I wish not to rule or destroy, but to belong. If Naruto stands with Starfleet, then I will walk the same path."
Anko leaned forward on the conference table, a smirk cutting through her words. "You want a Security officer who doesn't flinch? Then I'm in. But don't expect me to sit quietly." Fū's smile softened the tension. "If I can help keep this new world safe, I'll do it. I've already lost one world I won't lose another." Guren added her voice last, her crystalline eyes shining as she tapped her kunai on the table. "You'll need someone who can build and defend at the same time. I am that someone."
The admirals conferred briefly, their voices hushed before Admiral Satie leaned forward. "It is highly unusual, but the Federation is built upon inclusion. If they take the oath, they may serve." The decision was made the Six Paths had become Starfleet officers in truth, bonded to Naruto's fate and the Federation's ideals.
Then Himawari stepped forward, her small frame straight-backed, the green flak jacket a relic of her heritage. Admiral Hanson raised a skeptical brow. "And what of the child?" Naruto's hands clenched, but before he could speak, Hinata's calm voice resonated. "She is not a child. She is our daughter, reborn. She deserves her chance."
Counselor Troi leaned forward gently. "Let me test her." With Data at her side, they began a series of evaluations: telepathic sensitivity, ethical judgment, tactical problem-solving, and Federation knowledge. Troi's voice was soft. "Himawari, tell me what you value most." The girl looked her in the eyes and answered without hesitation. "Family. And the strength to protect them."
Data raised his brows slightly as he compared readings. "Remarkable. Her pattern recognition, tactical decision-making, and comprehension of Federation law are consistent with a cadet aged seventeen to nineteen. She displays experiential maturity far beyond her biological years." Troi smiled faintly. "It's as though she has lived on Earth all her life."
The admirals leaned back in silence until Admiral Quinn finally spoke. "Naruto Uzumaki, you were once admitted to Starfleet Academy at age thirteen. If Himawari has proven herself in equal measure, then so be it. She will enter the Academy for evaluation, with probationary status until graduation."
Himawari's eyes welled with tears, but she didn't cry. Instead, she stood straighter, nodding firmly. "I won't let you down." Naruto's heart swelled at the sight his daughter's strength shining like the stars outside the viewport. "You never could, Himawari," he whispered.
The channel closed with the admirals' final words: "Welcome to Starfleet. All of you."
Stardate: 41775.88683793748 (October 10, 2364 – 21:40)
Location: USS Enterprise-D, Holodeck Two
The holodeck shimmered to life, transforming into the wide marble chambers of Starfleet Academy's simulation hall. Himawari stood at the center, her small figure wrapped in a crisp Starfleet Academy Type A cadet uniform, dyed in Command red, the golden delta pinned proudly on her chest. At just thirteen years old, she looked impossibly young, yet her eyes carried the same determination her father once bore when he was admitted at her age. Every one of Naruto's mates her mothers stood with him along the upper gallery, the weight of their love and pride visible in their eyes. Beside them stood Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, and Data, all watching intently while a secure live-feed connected back to Starfleet Command's admiralty.
The trial began with diplomacy. An Andorian holographic ambassador tried to bait her with insults about Federation overreach. She smiled, bowed slightly, and responded, "Peace is never weakness it is strength refined." Admiral Hanson leaned forward in the feed, whispering, "She passes." Next came engineering, where she rerouted plasma conduits on a simulated Oberth-class starship. "By cross-linking the EPS flow, the overload won't reach the nacelles," she explained quickly. Data tilted his head. "Her grasp of warp theory is consistent with advanced cadets." Then came medicine. She stabilized a holographic Tellarite cadet's collapsed lung with steady hands. Tsunade smiled proudly, whispering, "That's my daughter." History followed, her answers on Federation law and Klingon relations smooth and natural. Finally, tactical analysis she outmaneuvered a Romulan D'deridex-class Warbird on the screen, explaining calmly, "They cloak, but they cannot cloak their emotions."
But the last trial the combat was the true test. The program materialized a squad of Romulan soldiers led by the same commander who had attacked Deep Space 7. His voice hissed across the room. "So, the child of the Federation stands before us." Himawari drew her phaser, her stance steady, her eyes unflinching. "I'm not afraid of you." The fight erupted phaser fire burned through the air, green disruptors met red beams, and Himawari's movements blurred with speed. She dodged, fired, and struck, outmaneuvering soldiers older and stronger than her.
Then the holodeck simulation cracked, alarms blaring. Reality bled into training. Thirty real Romulan infiltrators stormed through the doors, disruptors raised. Gasps rang out from the gallery, Picard shouting, "Red Alert!" In that heartbeat, Himawari dropped her phaser. Her form shifted, her body stretching, twisting, expanding until she towered as tall as her attackers her Undine form revealed at last, blue-skinned, luminous eyes blazing. With strength unnatural, she tore into the Romulans. Claws slashed, psychic force rippled through the air, her voice inside their minds: I will not let you take anything from me.
She seized one Romulan by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. His eyes widened with terror as he rasped, "You… you are like the one we fought at Deep Space 7. How is this possible?" Before she could answer, the holodeck doors burst open Lieutenant Worf stormed in with seven security officers, phaser rifles blazing. Hinata followed, her pistol steady in her hand, her eyes narrowed with both fear and maternal fury. "Himawari!" she cried out, unleashing a volley of phaser fire that dropped two infiltrators instantly.
Himawari's voice whispered telepathically into Worf's and Hinata's minds: They are the same attackers from Deep Space 7. They followed us here. Worf growled in answer, firing his rifle with precise Klingon ferocity. More security officers poured in, type-3 rifles blazing, striking down Romulans with bursts of red. The battle raged for minutes, the Undine girl at its center, ripping apart their assault line, shielding officers with her massive form. At last, the Romulans surrendered, stunned, bound, or dead.
When the smoke cleared, Picard, Riker, and the admirals on the channel stepped into view. Silence reigned, broken only by the hum of the ship. Picard's voice was solemn but proud. "Cadet Himawari Uzumaki… not only have you passed your combat evaluation, you have rendered a service to Starfleet and the Federation this day. These infiltrators will face justice because of you." Hanson's voice crackled in from Command: "Effective immediately, Himawari Uzumaki is to be granted the provisional rank of Cadet, Third Class. She has earned her place. See to it that she is sworn properly."
Himawari stood among the phaser-scorched walls, her Undine form shrinking back into her human body, her cadet's uniform reforming around her frame. She was shaking but unbroken. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she whispered, "I… I did it, Mama… Papa…" Naruto's arms were suddenly around her, Hinata close behind, all her mothers closing in, shielding her with love.
"You did more than pass," Naruto said, his voice cracking with pride. "You showed them who you are."
Stardate: 41776.04683793748 (October 10, 2364 – 22:05)
Location: USS Enterprise-D, Observation Lounge
The Observation Lounge of the USS Enterprise-D had never looked so solemn yet radiant. The wide viewport cast starlight across the polished table, the endless galaxy beyond serving as silent witness. Naruto stood in his own cadet uniform Command red, the delta emblem glinting at his chest his blond hair brushing against his collar. At just nineteen, he carried himself with the confidence of a soldier and the weight of a leader, though still marked by the field commission that had earned him the nickname "Golden Lieutenant." Around him stood all of his mates, each in their cadet uniforms, and at the center of it all was Himawari, her dark-blue hair framing her youthful face, her own uniform crisp and new.
Captain Picard's voice carried across the room. "Today, we do not just welcome new officers. We welcome new family into Starfleet, forged not only in training but in fire." His gaze passed across Himawari, then to Konan, Kaguya, Anko, Fū, and Guren, each now standing straight and proud in their own cadet uniforms. The receivers they wore in their ears sleek obsidian jewels caught the light like silent promises of their oath. Admiral Quinn's holo-image flickered above the table, joined by Admirals Hanson and Satie, their presence formal and unyielding. "Each of you has passed the same evaluations demanded of any who wish to serve," Quinn declared. "Diplomacy, science, medicine, tactics, and combat. And you have proven not just competence, but excellence."
Konan spoke first, her tone even yet full of conviction. "I pledge my mind and my will to this path." Kaguya followed, her voice almost tender. "I seek belonging, and I have found it here." Anko smirked, placing a hand over her heart. "I'll fight for this Federation just as I fight for my family." Fū beamed with light, her voice hopeful. "I won't let this new chance slip away." Guren's crystalline gaze burned. "To build, to protect, to endure I swear it." Finally, Himawari stepped forward, her voice shaking but steady. "I am Uzumaki Himawari, daughter of Naruto and Hinata, reborn of Konohagakure, and I swear to carry Starfleet's banner with honor. I am not afraid."
Riker stepped to Picard's side, holding out a ceremonial padd. "Repeat after me," he instructed, and together the six spoke the oath of service: "I solemnly swear to defend the United Federation of Planets, its citizens, and its ideals, even at the cost of my life. I will uphold the principles of the Prime Directive, seek peace, and protect the stars we call home." Their voices rang together, strong and unwavering, filling the room with an energy that even the cold vacuum beyond could not diminish.
As the oath concluded, applause broke out. Picard smiled, rare warmth in his stern features. "Then let it be recorded Cadet Himawari Uzumaki, Cadet Konan Uzumaki, Cadet Kaguya Uzumaki, Cadet Anko Uzumaki, Cadet Fū Uzumaki, and Cadet Guren Uzumaki welcome to Starfleet Academy, Cadets Third Class." Hanson's holo-image cut in firmly. "Your place is provisional until Earth review, but your actions speak clearly. You belong." Himawari's knees trembled as tears filled her eyes, but Naruto stepped forward, laying a steady hand on her shoulder. "You did it, Hima. You proved you belong among the stars."
All of Naruto's mates gathered around, every one of them a mother to Himawari in her eyes. Hinata wept openly, pulling her daughter close, while Tsunade laughed through her tears. "Starfleet doesn't know what it's in for," Mei teased, clapping Himawari on the back. Shion whispered, "You are our pride." Konan's lips curved into a rare smile. "And now, our path is the same as yours." For the first time since the fall of Konohagakure, a new family was sworn into something larger than themselves, their names now forever tied to Starfleet's oath.