"Minato," Fugaku called to his friend. "We are going to help, and won't take no for an answer."
Mikoto quickly hurried to support Kushina, who looked almost ready to pass out. For good reason, giving birth was strenuous enough, but having the Kyuubi extracted on top of that? Kushina was a very strong woman, with very good genetics.
"Screw Danzo!" Came the very emphatic exclamation from Fugaku. Kushina and Mikoto glanced over in suprise.
Minato looked just as surprised, but the Kyuubi emphatically reminded them of his presence with a mighty roar.
"A-alright fine!" Minato finally decided. "Fugaku, do what you can to get the Kyuubi under control. Mikoto, please, help Kushina, we have to get this sealed away."
"He's our son, Minato, he shouldn't have to bear such a heavy burden!"
"Who else can do it?" Minato asked desperately. "You? You're still weak from childbirth and having the Kyuubi extracted! If that goes back into you, you could die!"
Kushina pushed herself upright. "And?"
"Our son needs someone to take care of him!"
Kushina froze, then glared heatedly at Minato. "You wouldn't."
"It's the only thing we can do!" He argued back, practically quacking under her glare.
"Kushina, calm down. I don't like it either, but he's right. This way, your son will have at least one parent. It's the fastest option so less Shinobi have to die. So less children are left orphaned." Mikoto knew logic wasn't going to work here, so emotions it was. "Don't prolong this more than necessary."
Kushina's shoulders softened slightly, and Minato and Mikoto breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"I cannot hold this for much longer," Fugaku snapped. "Get a freaking move on."
Minato kissed his wife. "I love you, and I'm sorry."
Kushina lunged forward just enough to kiss him one more time before he turned to face the Kyuubi, their newborn infant in his arms.
is arms. He set Naruto down in the alter like set up, then turned to face the beast, starting a long chain of hand signs. The Shinigami rose up behind him, dagger firmly clenched in its teeth.
"MINATO!" Kushina shouted as the hand of the reaped plunged through his chest, taking half of the Kyuubi's chakra, and sealing it into Minato, the seal visible through the hole in his shirt.
The Kyuubi growled, raising its hand up, and slamming it down, Kushina, Minato, and Fugaku leaping forward to stop it.
Kushina found herself next to her son, Mikoto taking her place stopping the claw. A substitution.
"Mikoto!" She cried incredulously.
"Someone has to take care of Naruto," Mikoto managed, coughing up some blood. "You're the best person for that."
"But what about your own kids!?"
"Itachi will take good care of Sasuke, and we have so many relatives. Or you can help them. They'll manage something, but Naruto deserves a happy life with his mother. You know the prejudice he'll face better than anyone, and you'll support him through it." Mikoto coughed again, fresh blood spattering the claw piercing her stomach.
"Our children are strong," Fugaku said. "Make sure they know we love them."
Kushina stubbornly wiped away tears. "If you're gonna be so stubborn about this, I will."
"That doesn't mean you have permission to tell them all the embarrassing stories," Minato added quickly, smiling weakly at her.
Kushina grinned, wiping away more tears. "I wouldn't dare."
Mikoto's look told Kushina that she didn't believe her in the slightest.
"8 sided seal," Minato said finally, the Kyuubi disappearing, and a seal spiraling into being. "Kushina, I-I trust you with the key."
"Who else, you blond sissy," Kushina managed, crawling over to her son and picking him up gently.
Kushina stubbornly wiped away more tears, not wanting them to fall on her beautiful son. Her best friend, her husband, and her best friend's husband were dead. The Uchiha clan had lost its clan head, and the village lost its Hokage. It would take a lot for the village to recover.
Mito woke up to the menacing chakra of the Kyuubi. Her senses were signaling panic all at once, and she quickly stood up and leaped into a tree, crouching on a branch and watching the massive creature struggle while chained down by golden chains. Kushina. How had the Kyuubi gotten free?
All of a sudden the beast disappeared and Mito lunged for where it had been. Who had it been sealed inside?
She stopped just outside of the clearing, noting the three bodies laying on the ground, holes through their chests. The Kyuubi's claw. A fourth person, bright red hair marking them as Kushina, crouched next to an alter of sorts, huddled over something. Mito remained in the tree line for a moment longer, noting the position of the ANBU surrounding the clearing, as well as Hiruzen. Kanji on the jacket of one of the dead people vaguely might have read 'Fourth Hokage' if it wasn't so badly torn.
Mito looked at the Hokage monument, barely visible through the trees. Yep, there were four faces up there. Did the Kyuubi just kill their Fourth Hokage? Doesn't that mean they need a new one? Oh, dear. Well, at least it looks like Hiruzen is intact. Although, he's not exactly the best suited to peace.
Mito sighed and stepped into the clearing, thoroughly startling the ANBU around the Hokage and the scene.
"Where did you come from?" One asked, holding out a kunai threateningly.
"A tree," Mito remarked dryly.
"Who are you?" Another asked, this one holding a taijutsu stance.
"Mito Senju, nee Uzumaki." She replied primly. "Now if you'll excuse me, that would be a member of my clan there."
"W-we can't let you pass," the first said, swallowing visibly.
"Move or you will be moved," Mito told him firmly.
They moved.
Mito moved to Kushina's side, noting the blond shock of hair held in the woman's grasp. "Kushina?"
The woman blinked at her tiredly. "M-Mito? How?"
Mito shrugged. "I don't know. Come on, let's get you to the hospital."
"You aren't going anywhere with them," Hiruzen said firmly. "Who are you."
Mito helped Kushina stand, staring evenly at Hiruzen. "My name is Mito Senju nee Uzumaki."
Hiruzen tried walking forward, clearly not believing her, but chains shot out from Mito's back, stopping him in his tracks. "Don't even," she snapped. "Kushina needs to get to the hospital. I can and will hold you there until she gets medical attention."
Hiruzen glared, but subsided, stepping back. The chains shot back into Mito's back, and she started assisting Kushina in walking back towards the village.
When they entered the village gates, three medics came up with a wheelchair.
"Kushina-chan," one of the medics said, sounding relieved. "Come on, let's get you to the hospital. Thank you for getting her this far, but we'll be taking her now."
Mito nodded, gently setting Kushina in the wheelchair. The poor woman had been exhausted enough to fall asleep while Mito was walking, holding her son close to her chest, even when asleep.
The medic nodded to her, turning and wheeling Kushina away. It had been an older nurse, and Mito wondered if the medic recognized her. Being relatively healthy and able to do most things on her own, Mito had seen regular rotations of interns, so there was a very good chance the older medic had been one of said interns. Mito wouldn't know until she knew the woman's name. She remembered every name she came in contact with, had made it a habit as the child of the top general in the Uzushio fleets and continued the habit when she married Hashirama, who became the leader of a whole village.
Now, with Kushina and her son being taken care of, Mito turned back to find that Hiruzen had, in fact, followed her.
"How are you here?" He asked stiffly.
"I don't know," Mito replied calmly. "I assure you though, I am not one of Tobirama's reanimations. If you cut my head off, I will die."
Hiruzen frowned deeply, then sighed. "Alright. I cannot deal with this right now. We lost our Hokage, and just suffered an extreme attack on our village. I will not disagree with another helping hand."
Mito inclined her head. "I will awaken the old Senju compound. If required it can house many that would otherwise be homeless. I will, of course, assist in repairs, and would appreciate it if you reinstated me as an active shinobi. I am fit now, and ready for active combat, should it be needed."
Hiruzen nodded tiredly. "Of course, Mito-sama. I'll get on it as soon as I can."
Mito nodded primly, then turned and strode away.
(A/N) So, apparently, when not in the company of an adorable five-year-old, Mito gets sassy. This would be war-Mito, the leader and warrior, as opposed to the one that has to deal with idiots all the time. (cough cough Hashirama cough)