Author's Note: This story was inspired by cerokun's challenge: Kyūbi on the Loose (Or Maybe Not).

"Sealing Art: Dead Demon Consuming Seal!"

The Shinigami, an otherworldly creature with long, ghost-white hair and purple skin covered by a white long-sleeved robe appeared behind Minato Namikaze as he faced the Nine-Tailed Fox. It was his last resort. If this plan of his to seal the Tailed Beast didn't work, the Village Hidden in the Leaves would be doomed.

"Minato, have you prepared the seal?" his wife Kushina asked. Standing close by, she was locking them within a massive barrier supported by her chakra chains while keeping the Nine-Tails at bay with more chains. "I can't keep the Nine-Tails restrained for much longer."

"I have," Minato answered. "Where's Naruto, Kushina?"

Kushina cradled their son Naruto in her arms. "He's sleeping. But why is he here? What are you planning, Minato?"

"I want to seal the Nine-Tailed Fox into Naruto." Kushina pulled Naruto closer to her. "I know it's a hard thing to ask of him, but -"

Kushina scowled. "Don't even think about doing it, Minato! Naruto will only suffer with that monster sealed inside of him!" Minato gave his anxious wife a reassuring smile. It didn't work as he intended. "Please, Minato, don't do it! Seal the Nine-Tails into me. Even if it costs me my life, as long as the damn fox is dead, Naruto and everyone in the village can live peacefully!"

"That won't work, Kushina," Minato said as calmly as he could. "The Nine-Tails will escape if that happens and our efforts will be wasted. If I seal the Nine-Tails into Naruto, it will be much more difficult for it to escape, since the younger the vessel is, the stronger the seal will become. All I want you to do for me is to run away once I grab the Nine-Tails, so that Naruto can have at least one parent to take care of him."

"I can't, Minato," Kushina said, choking back a sob. The silver chains Kushina used to restrain the Nine-Tails began to fade in and out, but she vowed to maintain them for as long as possible. "I'm dying. When that man removed the Nine-Tails from me, it weakened me so much. I don't know if I'll have enough energy to escape. I'm struggling to maintain my chains, even now."

Minato frowned. "Naruto needs someone to raise him, someone that will keep him safe from harm and love him. I've already summoned the Shinigami, so I can't be the one to do it. Kushina, it has to be you."

"Minato, please do me a favour," Kushina said after a period of tense silence. Tears streamed down her face.

"Anything for you, my love."

"Seal me into Naruto. That way, I can watch over him and guide him in any way I can."

Minato contemplated Kushina's idea. It would be a good way to give Naruto support, in more ways than one. "Alright then, I'll see what I can do." Minato took his son from Kushina and prepared a shrine, placing Naruto on the bed. "Shinigami! I want you to seal the Nine-Tailed Fox into Naruto. Do whatever you have to for this to be!"

"The agreement has been made. The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox will be sealed into the vessel that you have chosen," the Shinigami intoned, using its ghostly hand wrapped in prayer beads to reach for the Nine-Tails, impaling Minato in the process. "In exchange, your soul and the soul of the vessel will be taken as penance."

What? That's not... No, stay in control. "I want to change the agreement! I want you to seal half of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra and its soul into me and seal the other half of its chakra into Naruto. Please!"

"I cannot. Such an action supersedes the scope of the initial agreement. As such, the soul of the vessel and the soul of the summoner will be taken as penance, with the soul of the Nine-Tailed Fox and its power being sealed into the vessel."

This wasn't how it was supposed to go! I can't let Kushina know about this. Even if she dies, I can't tell her what will happen to Naruto. With his chakra and life force being sucked away bit by bit by the Shinigami, Minato summoned a large orange toad who appeared to wear an obi around his abdomen.

"Gerotora! Open your scroll!" Gerotora complied, unfolding his obi to reveal a large scroll. Minato placed his hand on the scroll, creating an intricate seal. "This is the key to the Eight Trigrams Seal, the seal I'm going to use to seal Kushina into my son. I'm entrusting you to Jiraiya-sensei. Don't tell him that I've sealed Kushina inside of Naruto. If he asks, tell him that the Eight Trigrams Seal is an extra seal for Naruto that's designed to restrain the Nine-Tails' power, understand?"

Gerotora nodded. "Understood."

After Gerotora disappeared in a thick cloud of smoke, Minato called Kushina over to him. "Kushina, I love you so much. I just wish that this didn't have to happen."

"And I love you, Minato, now and always." Kushina smiled sadly. "You should say something to Naruto... before you go."

Before Minato could, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, came to his successor's aid.

"Minato! What is happening to you?" Hiruzen called out from behind the barrier surrounding the Nine-Tails.

"Don't worry about me, Hiruzen," Minato replied. "I want you to do me a favour. No matter what happens, please protect my son in any way you can. Even if Naruto is the Nine-Tailed Fox, or becomes possessed by it, please protect him."

"I will do as you say, Minato," Hiruzen agreed, albeit with some confusion.

Minato allowed a small smile to come to his face. Hiruzen left the area just after Kushina - who now stood in front of her husband - had finished giving Naruto her heartfelt advice. Tears streaked her face, for this would be the last time she would see her husband.

"Minato, is there anything you want to say to Naruto?" Kushina asked.

"Naruto, I love you and I'm sorry that I can't be a father to you like I hoped I could be." His heart clenched, since he knew that once this was over, Naruto would be joining him in whatever afterlife awaited them. With a smile on his face and a heavy heart, he directed the Shinigami once more. After the Nine-Tailed Fox had been dragged into Naruto, Minato prepared his last technique.

"Kushina, this is goodbye. And... I'm sorry."

Kushina grabbed the back of Minato's neck, pulling him close. Their foreheads touched. "Don't be. We'll be together again someday... that's an eternal promise!" She was so weak, and so tired, but she knew that as long as Naruto was safe, she would be able to endure any pain.

"Eight Trigrams Seal!" Minato's eyes went blank as soon as he performed the technique, but he knew it was successful: Kushina was sucked into Naruto's body.

The last thing Minato heard as the last dredges of his chakra faded away was the Shinigami's otherworldly voice. "The agreement has been fulfilled. The Nine-Tailed Fox has been contained and bound to its vessel."

Then Minato dropped lifelessly to the ground, a smile still on his face. The last thing he saw was the night sky as the Shinigami disappeared, his soul and the soul of his newborn son going with it.