Author's Notes: Be prepared for some unusual changes and possible spoilers. This partly follows the series mostly up until the defeat of Pein after that, things branch off and will move into a different direction. Some elements of the canon will remain.
The idea of this came from when I saw the episode where Minato and Naruto get to meet for the first time, even though Minato was only an after image of his former self. It was such a bittersweet reunion that I just couldn't leave it alone.
Also would like to point out, I originally started to write this back on June 24, 2016, but now have gone back to revise it.
Many thanks to my friends, SpiritAmong-Darkness, LadySesshy, ShadowHachia and Ookamaikai for their wonderful ideas.
Prologue
He couldn't believe he was going to do this. But as the Fourth Hokage, he had to uphold the village's ideals. His wife had just given birth and was never given the chance to hold their son. The infant was ripped away from both of them when the masked man showed up, threatening to kill his newborn if he didn't move away from his wife, who happened to be the vessel for the Nine Tails. The entire night of his son's first hours was scrambling around to save the village and his wife from this masked man, but it was a failure. He was now going to lose both his son and wife. At least his son would live, and he knew the Third Hokage would be sure to have him clothed and fed. It was a good thing a trust fund was set up for little Naruto.
With sealing part of the nine tails within himself, Minato now planned to make the ultimate sacrifice, so Naruto would live. Much to Minato's dismay, Kushina too was going to sacrifice herself to protect their child. It was then decided their son would not only receive the other half of the nine tails, but also chakra of his parents. If the time would come, and Naruto would lose control of the seal, both parents would show up in his mind and tell him all that had happened on the day of his birth.
Minato had to act fast though. The nine tails got wind of the parents plan and decided to strike, on the intent of killing the infant in one blow. It would impale the newborn, leaving nothing but blood in its wake where the child rested.
"No!" Minato cried out as he ran as fast as he could, chakra fading fast due of the amount used from the Flying Raijin Jutsu, which he used several times more than normal. The last time he was this weakened, was during the last ninja war when he got behind enemy lines and created all sorts of havoc.
"Naruto!" Kushina cried as she too rushed to save her son from being impaled. She was dying anyway since the Nine Tails was now free. Being an Uzumaki, she had a higher tolerance but if the tailed beast wasn't placed back within her, she would surely die.
Unknown to the parents, when Kushina created a barrier around them, something flashed from the other side, but was witnessed from the outside by the Third Hokage and a few others. Standing just inside was a cloaked figure, who's face was well shadowed by a hood attached to the outer garment, which was dark in color and reached the ground.
"Nooooo!" the former Hokage called out as his eyes shifted to his successor. The baby was in danger and his parents were trying to protect the little infant.
"I'm nearly too late! Can't let this happen!" called out a voice from within the barrier, while the parents rushed to the infant, which caught the attention of the Third Hokage once more.
Thanks to Hiruzen's trained eyes, he saw the cloaked figured rush towards the parents. He barely was able to make out the figure say something else, which sounded a lot like, "There's only one chance! Here goes!"
He observed as the mysterious figure did several hand signs and then shouted, holding out his hands. "Winds of Time!"
Minato heard the words, but was in no position to pay much attention. He needed to protect his son. Just before reaching little Naruto, sudden pain stung his back as he felt the pressure of a sharp claw begin to pierce his skin. For him it felt like everything was moving in slow motion. His eyes widened, knowing what was happening. However, in that instant, a bright white flash of light crossed his vision, disabling him from seeing anything. The white flash was getting brighter and brighter as pain no longer registered from his back. Nor could he feel the claw continue its track from behind, tearing a hole through his spinal cord, no doubt go through him and out the other side to pierce Kushina.
"Naruto!" Minato heard his wife cry out.
"Dad, we'll meet again," was the last thing the Fourth Hokage heard, in near whisper, before everything vanished around him.
The veiled individual who fired the sudden ball of light, stood where he was, breathing heavily. "Did I do it?"
The light slowly faded leaving Kushina pierced by the claw, preventing her son from being killed. Behind her appeared to what looked like her husband, but there was something off about him. His eyes weren't glassed over in pain.
"Yes! I did it!" the person threw a fist in the air. Then he watched for a few minutes as a few tears slid down his cheek. He never truly knew how much the Fourth Hokage sacrificed for his son to live. He gasped as Kushina then slumped over, and what looked like her husband then disappeared in a puff of smoke. The hidden figure collapsed in extreme pain just as the barrier disappeared allowing the Hokage and those around him to move in.
The Hokage's men ran to the mother while the older man rushed to the baby. A few words were spoken between him and Kushina before her body went limp. Lord Third Hokage, then looked up and made his way over to the disguised man.
"What's the meaning of this!?" he demanded just as another hooded male came out of the bushes. He walked straight over to the fallen person, kneeling beside him. The pale faced man was not doing much to conceal his identity.
"I'm sorry about this," spoke the newcomer. "But this is a top-secret assignment."
"No…" groaned the one kneeling in pain. Weakly he pulled his arms to lift his body up off the ground. "Sai… help me to stand."
"Of course." The one called 'Sai' helped the other to his feet, who continued to keep his face well hidden.
"Lord Third Hokage," replied the well-hidden man. "Listen to me and please try and believe when I say this. My… I saved the Lord Fourth Hokage from dying."
"That's impossible!" The Third Hokage demanded. "He used the Reaper Death seal."
Sai looked at the older man. "Perhaps so, but he's not here, is he?"
The old man was taken aback, getting ready to counter, but it was true? Where was Lord Fourth?
"Please, Lord Hokage," the hidden man began, still breathing heavily. "He is alive, but everyone must believe, for the time being, that he did die."
"And why should I believe you?" Being a well-trained shinobi, tears were something he couldn't afford. Answers had to be done first. He just lost his wife and now the young man who had been his successor.
"Perhaps I can help with that," replied another voice as he stepped forward and revealed his face to the Hokage, causing the man to gasp in shock.
"How can this be!?" Hiruzen gasped, recognizing the face. "Kakashi... I saw you in the village." But how was this possible?
"Kakashi-sensei?" Sai questioned.
"I've realized it's too crucial to keep this from you," replied Kakashi. "We are not from here, but from another time in the future. How far, that I can not tell you. But what we can tell you is, we're on a top-secret assignment and it must be followed through. The future depends on the success of the mission. If this fails, then the future will be destroyed. We are the last remaining members of the ninja society where we come from."
"But time travel, is forbidden," Hiruzen explained, finally catching on. He knew about a jutsu to turn back the clock. However, he had deemed it forbidden before anyone could learn about it.
"That it is," answered Kakashi. "We obtained the jutsu from what was left of Konoha to travel here. Some time in the future there will be a Fourth Shinobi War and with that, will kill everyone and we must stop it. I know this is a lot to take in, but as I stand before you, there is no way I can be in two places at once."
"Not to mention," Sai stated coolly. "You're also much older than the one from this time."
"What you say is quite the tale." Hiruzen looked up to see what the man bore as a ninja headband. "You do not wear a Leaf headband."
"No," he shook his head.
"But I do..." Keeping his head well covered, the one beneath the cloak, pulled out his headband, showing he was a Leaf shinobi.
"Lord Third," Kakashi began. "Perhaps we can discuss this at a better time. The village was just attacked and Lord Fourth has, in all intent and purposes, been killed by the Nine Tails. Why we are here, can probably wait."
Hiruzen turned back to the corpse of Kushina Uzumaki, then to the infant who had calmed down after being picked up. He sighed. The situation about the travellers were a top priority, however the well being of the village was up most importance. "Yes." He then turned back to Kakashi. "Remain here until I return. With the Fourth Hokage gone, this village will fall apart. Many lives were lost on this night and the village partially destroyed."
"Not if you take back the mantel of being Hokage," Kakashi suggested. "You are the Third Hokage after all. I urge you though, not to discuss this with anyone, not even with Danzo or the counsel. The less who know the better," Kakashi warned.
"Then why tell me?"
"Because you're the only one we can trust at this point."
Hiruzen looked to Kakashi and could see the logic of the man's words. Danzo would take great pleasure wanting to interrogate the travellers, force them to tell all they knew. Knowing about future events could come at a great cost, it could literally tip the balance of power.
With no more words needed for the time being, the Hokage moved away from the concealed men to attend to the infant who was now an orphan. Little did he know, the boy would grow up with no friends and become the village's class clown until he'd graduate from the academy and become a loudmouth knuckle-headed ninja, who'd defy everyone who stood in his path.