"A contract seal? Damn you, I won't be denied!"

The blonde Hokage watched on as the masked man vanished in the same vortex he had used to teleport around. He peered around the clearing with his guard up. After several moments he decided the man was gone for the moment.

"Now to deal with the Kyūbi," he muttered, glancing back towards Konoha.

"We must hold him off until Minato arrives," Hiruzen shouted, rallying the surrounding ninja.

The old man glared up at the beast as it swatted away another group. He jumped aside to avoid the flying ninja before cracking the beast over the head with Enma. The Kyūbi snarled at him and opened its mouth to charge up a bijūdama.

'Damn it, Minato, where are you? We can't survive one those!'

Just as Kyūbi seemed ready to fire a voice was heard and a giant toad dropped on top of him, smashing him into the ground. With a growl the beast lifted his head to prepare to fire again.

"Keep him busy, Bunta, it's going to take me a moment to gather the chakra for this," the blonde on top of the toad's head muttered.

Again, just as the Kyūbi was about to fire it was smashed into the ground by the giant toad. Moments after the Kyūbi and the blonde Hokage vanished.

'What? Where-,' a bright explosion in the distance interrupted Hiruzen's train of thought.

"Over there!" With a shout the group took off after their missing Hokage.

Minato watched, tears streaming down his face, as the remaining half of Kyūbi was sealed away into his son. Just as he had finished the seal he saw a familiar masked man appear on the Kyūbi's head, no doubt to try to regain control of the beast.

'Serves him right,' he thought with grim satisfaction as he watched him sealed away as well. 'He killed Kushina.'

The combined stress of childbirth and having the Kyūbi forcefully torn out of her had proven too much for even an Uzumaki.

'At least she was able to see Naruto one last time,' he looked down at the sleeping child and frowned as his hair turned black. 'Make me proud, son.''

With those last thoughts, the Fourth Hokage passed on from the world.

Hiruzen and the rest of the ninja arrived just in time to see the Kyūbi vanish and Minato fall.

"Spread out and secure the area!" He barked out.

The old man cautiously approached the fallen Hokage and child.

"So you must be little Naru-," he blinked at seeing the child's hair.

'Black? Isn't this Naruto? What happened?' The old man frowned.

An ANBU with the Inu mask approached the pair.

"Is that Sensei's son? Can I see-," he too blinked at the hair color.

As he cut off his sentence the child opened his eyes. His left eye was the same blue as Minato's, but his right...

"Sharingan!" The ANBU whispered in shock. "Sandaime, who is this child?"

The old man frowned upon seeing the eye. Luckily it faded into the traditional onyx of the Uchiha. 'This could cause problems.'

"I don't know, Kakashi." He turned to the Inu-masked man. "I need you to go to where Kushina was giving birth. Find out what happened and report back to me and only me. Keep this a secret."

"Yes, sir." He replied before vanishing.

The old man quickly wrapped the child in his blanket making sure to cover his hair. Satisfied with his work he sent the loitering ninja back to the village to help with repairs. With a final look around the clearing he too traveled back to the village.

'I have a feeling this is going to be a long night.'

Hiruzen sat in a room at the head of a large table. He let his gaze roam over the other members sitting at the table. First, to the ninja councilors, then to the civilians. With a tired sigh he picked up the hat in front of him and placed it on his head.

"Very well, I'll take up the position again until we find a suitable replacement." His statement caused many to sigh in relief.

With that, the meeting was finished. The various members rushed out to carry out their tasks in restoring Konoha after the attack. The Third watched silently as the members all left the room leaving him alone with the child. It wasn't long before the Inu-masked ANBU returned.

"Please tell me you have good news, Kakashi," he told him without looking away from the child.

The grey haired cyclops removed his mask and ran his hand over his face with a sigh.

"Biwako and the other nurse were dead at the entrance. The rest... was destroyed," he replied. "I checked the hospital as well but the maternity ward didn't make it either. I'm sorry."

The old man gently rubbed the child's head. He spent several minutes just watching him sleep, tears streaming down his face. 'Biwako...'

"I wonder if his father survived. Would he even want him now, knowing the burden he carries?" Kakashi asked with a frown.

'An Uchiha in control of the Kyūbi? It was bad enough back when Madara was able to control it.' Hiruzen frowned.

"We have no choice. The boy will be raised as an orphan," he said. "He'll need a name. One that honors their sacrifice. Menma, that's what we'll call him."

"I thought it was maelstrom rather than that ramen topping." Kakashi said with a strained smile.

"Eh, close enough," the Third replied with a shrug. "That will be all for now, you are dismissed."

The man saluted and vanished, leaving the Hokage and child alone.

'You've been given a terrible burden, little Menma. I'll do what I can to help you and foster your Will of Fire. Hopefully it will be enough to free you from your burden and your Curse.'

A/N:

This is my first attempt at writing, let alone fanfiction writing. Let me know what's good. Let me know what could use improvement. Aside from length, I mean. It is short but it is just the prologue.

I should also mention this is unbeta'd and self edited, so let me know if you catch any mistakes.