Part I: Episode 4
Nine Months Ago
It was dark outside, Minato noticed, even though it was just a few hours past noon. This was going to be a pretty big storm. Minato laughed at the irony. His name, Namikaze, sort of meant storm and here, on the night of a massive storm, a new Namikaze had been announced. Kushina was ecstatic when she told him and her hair seemed even brighter than usual.
"Namikaze Naruto," Minato tested his son's name out loud. He liked the sound of it. Of course, Kushina wasn't too pleased to be stuck on C- and D-rank missions for a year, but Minato wouldn't dare have his wife bashing in heads with a baby inside her, even if she wasn't even a month pregnant yet.
"Maybe I could let her go on a few. As long as I'm there." Minato thought aloud. He was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock at his door. He frowned, but went to the door anyway. To his surprise, a 13-year-old jonin stood in the doorway, drenched in rain.
"Sensei," Kakashi asked in a sad voice. He didn't have to finish his request before Minato let him in.
"Minato, who's there?" Kushina asked as she descended down the stairs. Before Minato could answer, she was in the kitchen and saw Kakashi dripping wet. Without pause she quickly went back up to get some towels. Neither Minato nor his student said anything while they waited. Kushina appeared soon after and began draping the towels over Kakashi, who offered no assistance. Even though only one eye was showing, Kushina could see the pain the boy was in was overwhelming.
Gently, Minato stretched his arm over the boy's shoulders and pulled him. Tears began to well up in his visible eye.
"I'm sorry sensei. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough." Kakashi said before he broke down into sobs. The rest of the evening was spent in relative silence, the only sounds breaking the quiet were Kakashi's sobs and the soothing words of Kushina and Minato.
The village seemed busier than usual today, Orochimaru noticed. Of course, he rarely came out into the village so for all he knew this might have been normal. Still there was a buzz in the crowd that he definitely perceived as new.
"It's because of Kushina's baby," Tsunade informed him, noticing the Hokage's analyzing expression. He gave her that pseudo-irritated/confused expression he would always give when Tsunade would explain the villagers' sentimentality. It was cute, Tsunade noted, how for all his brilliance, Orochimaru barely understood people.
"It's just a baby," Orochimaru responded after a few seconds, much to Tsunade's surprise. Orochimaru rarely asked for more insight into the lives of his villagers. Tsunade decided just to answer. Any teasing and there would be no telling if she ever got an opportunity like this.
"It's not just a baby. It's Kushina and Minato's baby. They're really popular around the village and it's really nice to see them starting a family." Tsunade didn't notice the longing in her voice until after she had spoke, but Orochimaru seemed too busy trying to understand people to have noticed. Or maybe he just didn't want to bring it up. It was always impossible to tell just how much Orochimaru noticed. Sometimes, it was as if he saw and heard everything.
"They should be focused on more important things than a baby that isn't even theirs'." Orochimaru said finally, causing Tsunade to laugh. Orochimaru glanced at her briefly before he continued towards his office. Tsunade stifled another laugh and then inwardly cursed herself for feeling like a schoolgirl.
When the duo arrived at the Ninja Academy, they were met with a very severe looking Hiruzen standing in front of the doorway. His face only grew more somber as they approached and the silent message was clear. A meeting had been called.
It was a quick and silent task as the three made their way to the meeting room. Within seconds, everyone had been seated with Orochimaru sitting in the front of the room. The Konoha Council had grown quickly since Orochimaru had taken his place as Hokage. He attempted to remove Homura and Koharu from their positions, but the amount of red tape combined with their knowledge of the political system made the task a long and arduous one. What Orochimaru did manage, thanks mostly to Hiruzen, was expand the council to include both his former sensei and his former teammates.
Unfortunately, before the expansion, Koharu and Homura had succeeded in getting Danzo into the position of Jonin Commander, meaning he had to be present at all meetings. Their infatuation with the man was something Orochimaru loathed. At least he had gotten rid of Danzo's damned Root program, which had only intensified the disdain between the two.
"What is this meeting about?" Orochimaru asked, starting off the meeting. He had not been told of anything, which meant this was likely an emergency meeting.
"Surely you've heard the rumors about Uchiha Madara?" Koharu asked, causing Orochimaru's eyes to shift to her.
"What about them?" Orochimaru asked. Of course he had heard about them, but he was a scientist. Baseless rumors meant nothing to him.
"What do you mean what about them? If what we've been hearing is true, then a very dangerous and very powerful man with a strong grudge against Konohagakure is running loose!" Homura snapped. Orochimaru turned his infamously cold glance towards the older man, silencing him. Orochimaru then turned to Jiraiya, who had become something of his go-to man when it came to getting information about the world outside of Konoha.
"Do you believe it's really him, Jiraiya?" The white-haired toad sage said nothing for a while.
"I haven't actually seen the guy of course, but from what I've heard, it could be the real deal. However, there haven't really been too many sightings of him. A few treasures stolen here and there and a few pretty heavy assassinations, but that's it. Only one person is claiming to have even seen the man's Sharingan and he's...well less than in a state of reliability." Orochimaru scowled. For even Jiraiya to have this little information meant that this man, whether he was Madara or not, was good at sneaking around. Too good.
"If I may, Hokage-sama," Danzo said suddenly, his voice mocking and an angry smile in his eyes.
"The vitality of the Uzumaki clan truly is remarkable. Even having the Nine-Tails ripped out of you didn't kill you. I suppose it's for the best. It's only right that the fox get to kill its former jinchuriki." The masked man said in his horribly deep voice. Kushina stared at the massive creature in front of her, fear being the only thing blocking her pain. She hadn't even been an hour out of childbirth when this madman pulled the fox from inside her.
As despicable as he was, the masked man was right. The only reason Kushina was still alive was because of the Uzumaki blood within her. Not that it mattered now. The fox's massive paw was quickly closing in on her. She closed her eyes, seeing only Minato and Naruto. Suddenly, she felt an odd yet familiar sensation. As if she was flying through water.
Kushina opened her eyes and she was in a mostly empty room. The first thing she saw was her son, lying on the floor sleeping, completely oblivious to the chaos surrounding him. She then looked up to see her husband, who had never looked so handsome and so heroic.
"Minato...that man...he's going after Konoha. You have to stop him." Kushina said, her breathing labored from the pain she was in. Her eyes fell back on Naruto and, for a second, all of the pain was gone.
"I'll be back before you know it, Kushina. You and Naruto just stay here." And just like that, Minato was gone. Kushina struggled not to cry, but the tears fell from her eyes defiantly. She curled herself around Naruto for comfort.
"How is this possible? What happened to Kushina's seal?" One of the ANBU ninja asked Hiruzen, who had already gotten into his battle outfit. He replied to the ninja with a grim silence. He then summoned Enma, who instantly went into his staff form.
"Evacuate as many people as you can." Hiruzen ordered. With a quick informative, the ANBU ninja was gone and Hiruzen was after the massive fox that had suddenly appeared in the village. Hiruzen's heart bled for the people that had been instantly killed when the demon fox had appeared, but he pushed that out of his mind. Hiruzen watched as the fox's head turned towards the Hokage Monument and then a massive ball of chakra began to form in its mouth. A sigh of relief escaped the old man's lips when the chakra ball disappeared. Just barely, he could make out Minato standing on the stone copy of the 2nd Hokage's head.
Then, there was a sudden flurry, and the blur was gone. Wherever Minato was went was suddenly unimportant, Hiruzen decided as he turned to face the demon.
"Are you truly Uchiha Madara?" Minato asked, keeping the awe out of his voice. It didn't matter who it was. This was the man who threatened his child and harmed his wife.
"Who I am is irrelevant. I desire to bring peace, Yellow Flash-san, even if it is through war." Minato snapped and charged towards the masked man, only to go right through him. Suddenly he found himself wrapped in a chain and barely managed to escape before the man yanked the chain back. Minato glared at the man, his mind racing. Where was the Hokage? Who was this man and how could Minato beat him?
I have to kill him now. Whether or not he is truly Madara, he's far too dangerous to leave alive. Minato thought as the masked man suddenly began to charge. Minato's mind was racing. How could he fight a man he couldn't touch. And then he realized. Minato began to charge too and threw a kunai. As expected, the weapon went right through the man's head. Minato blinked and he was suddenly behind the masked man, Rasengan in hand.
Somehow, the man wasn't dead, although the Rasengan had done its job. Blood dripped from his shoulder and he was completely unable to react when Minato appeared in front of him again. The man barely managed to dodge another attack and looked back at Minato.
"Should you really be here, wasting time with me?" The man asked, arrogance laced in his voice.
"The demon fox is no longer under your control." Minato stated. The man was silent for a few seconds.
"You definitely are a talented ninja. You easily could have been the Fourth Hokage. But don't you worry. The fox, along with the rest of the world, will one day be under my control. Many doors are still left open to me." The man said before he vanished. Minato stared at the spot where the man once stood. Suddenly a roar bought him back to reality.
"The village!" Minato cried out before disappearing. The blond managed to arrive just in time to summon Gamabunta, effectively cutting off the fox's next attack. And just like that, both the fox and the beast were gone.
"Minato! What are you doing?!" Hiruzen shouted, even though it was pointless to do so. He saw a massive explosion in the distance and without hesitation started running, giving explicit instructions to everyone nearby to hold their ground. Hiruzen had only gotten a few feet when a shadow shot past him.
"That Danzo bastard, what was he thinking?!" Tsunade exclaimed as she suddenly appeared slightly in front of Hiruzen. Orochimaru appeared as well, rushing towards the Nine-Tails. He was silent as usual, but Hiruzen could swear he saw a hint of anger on his former student's face.
"Minato, I'm gonna drag that damn fox back inside me and die with it. If nothing else, that will keep it away for a while. With the little chakra I have left, I'll save you both. Thank you, for everything." Minato looked at his wife, mouth agape.
"What? No!" He exclaimed. "You're my wife! He's my son! I won-"
"Don't be so upset Minato. I'm happy. Happy that you loved me," Kushina said, smiling even through the immense amount of pain she was in. Minato could see that she was barely able to stay conscious as she was, between forcing herself to ignore the pain as well holding back the Nine-Tails with her chakra chains. Even for an Uzumaki, Minato could tell that she was nearing her limits.
"Kushina..." Minato said, cutting off his wife. The red-haired kunoichi looked up and was taken back by the sudden conviction in his eyes. "You don't have to take that fox with you. If I seal the last bit of your chakra in Naruto with an Eight Trigrams Seal, we'll be able to see him one last time. And then...I'll use the Dead Demon Summoning Seal." Minato explained, causing Kushina to fully awaken in shock.
"Are you insane? If you do that, you'll die Minato!"
"I know, but I can't let the Kyubi be fully revived. It's too powerful. So I'll use the technique to seal half the fox's chakra with me inside the Shinigami. And I'll put the other half in Naruto." Kushina marveled as her husband stood up and began to form the hand seals.
"Minato..."
"Have some faith in our son, Kushina. He'll be fine." Minato said as he completed the technique and the Shinigami appeared behind him.
"Stop! Why are you sacrificing yourself, Minato?! Why are you going to leave Naruto alone?! He'll have no one, don't you understand? For one child to carry such a burden...that's why I wanted you to stay here with him. To guide him, Minato," Kushina's voice grew progressively softer as she spoke. She knew what Minato's answer would be.
"Abandoning the village or abandoning the baby, which is worse, I wonder? Besides, I can't substitute for you, Kushina. No one can, you're his mother. When we're both gone, you'll have to tell him things that only you'll be able to. That's why I'm doing this Kushina. For Naruto." Minato's eyes were so gentle, Kushina laughed at the idea they belonged to the man who was about to give his life for the village.
The Shinigami's hand began to move and Kushina watched as it lunged for Minato's chest. Then she something, just the faintest flicker of something reflecting moonlight. The Shinigami's hand dissipated and and Kushina turned her head to see the Hokage flanked on either side by one of the Sannin.
"Hey you two, don't be so quick to throw away your lives!" Jiraiya said, suddenly officially announcing the arrival of Team Sarutobi.
Author's Corner:
Random fact, this is actually like the third time I'm editing this chapter. I couldn't decide how much of the actual story I wanted to put in here, but I figured I'd just go ahead and add in the whole Death summoning thing, just to add drama. So yes, the Sannin (and Hiruzen) have officially arrived. But how do they intend to stop the demon fox?
Also, can we stop for a minute and check out that mad foreshadowing I did. My English teacher would be so proud! Anyway, that's enough of that.
As usual you guys, thanks a bunch for the reviews, follows, and favorites. Stay awesome, my friends.
PS. I totally did post, delete, then repost this chapter. Forgot to give it a last read through.