"Damnit Minato, just let me do the sealing, you need to live, and stay with your family," said Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime hokage.

"Sorry Sarutobi-sama, but this jutsu is very complex, without the correct training, and a deep understanding as to how it works, there is no way anyone else could cast it," said Minato, the Yondaime hokage, as he handed the hokage hat to the Sandaime, "you'll have to come out of retirement and take this back, hokage-sama, I have to go now. Just promise me one thing, make sure the village views my son as a hero, and that he is well taken care of."

"It will be done, my friend." stated Sarutobi as he took the hat from Minato. Vanishing in a yellow flash, Minato was gone, likely back to his son, to begin the sealing process. He popped into the room Kushina and his infant son, Naruto, resided in.

"I'm sorry my love, but I'm afraid this has to be done...I don't want to do this, but the village must be saved, stay here, there's no reason our son should risk being an orphan from this attack on top of becoming a jinchuriki." said Minato sadly as he picked up the small bundle that was his son.

"No, I'm not letting you do this alone, I'm coming too," said Kushina firmly as she stood up and walked over to Minato, still weary from birth. Minato shook his head.

"I somehow knew you'd say that, but I can't let you, I'm sorry Kushina." Minato flashed away, his infant son in his arms. He looked down the fox and began performing the hand signs for the sealing.

"NO! I WILL NOT BE SEALED AGAIN!" shouted the Nine-Tailed Fox, as it swiped it's massive claws towards Minato, to try to stop him. Chains grabbed hold of his large paw and stopped him mid-strike.

"Not today you damned fox," said Kushina as she arrived, despite Minato's wishes, "Minato, I said I was coming, whether you liked it or not she said. The kyuubi broke free of her chains and prepared another attack, but this time, being the sly fox he is, went to attack Naruto.

"NO!" both Kushina and Minato yelled in synch as they both got in the way of the fox's massive claw, thus saving their son. Minato finished the hand signs as the Shinigami appeared.

"Kushina, say your farewells quickly, we don't have much more time." Minato said looking towards his wife.

"My sochi, please whatever happens, always be happy. Know that no matter what mommy loves you and will always be proud of you. Marry a beautiful woman and I don't want to see you in the afterlife until you're old man leaving grandkids behind, and whatever you do, don't take after your perverted godfather. I love you, my son." Kushina said as a tear ran out of her eye. The Shinigami proceeded to pull the souls of both Kushina and Minato out, as Minato likely didn't have enough remaining strength to do it himself. Suddenly, the souls of both glowed a white color, as they split in half, half of it entering the Shinigami, the other half entering their infant son, as half of the Kyuubi was sealed away in Naruto, the other half entering Minato's body. The village was saved...but at what cost.

Minato awoke, inside a dark place, he wasn't sure where he was, all he saw was giant bars running to the ceiling of the room he appeared in.

"Is this the stomach of the Shinigami?" he stated aloud, not really expecting a response.

"Of course not fool, your cursed sealing jutsu seems to have done something I've never seen before. It seems you somehow sealed half of yours and your wife's soul in the Shinigami, paying the equivalent of one soul, and put the other half in here." Said the Kyuubi rather rudely, still evidently mad over being sealed again.

"Really?" Minato muttered pondering as he wondered if his wife was there too, if the Kyuubi's words were true. Sure enough, as he said that, the figure of Kushina became visible in the dark room.

"Uh...so you mean to say that we're in my sochi's seal?" Asked Kushina.

"Exactly what I'm saying," said the Kyuubi, as he layed down, "Now if you'd be silent, I'd like to sleep."

"Now we can see our son when he finally comes here Minato." Said Kushina, joyful that she and her husband didn't have to completely abandon their son after all.

"Indeed, and now...we wait." said Minato.

~~I rewrote this chapter, I got a few reviews requesting a more full and detailed prologue. Poll for the pairing is up on my profile. Chapter 1 will be up soon, likely within the next day or two.~~