Prelude

He stood over the crib of his son. A faint smile touched his lips as he looked down at his son. Naruto... He looked just like him, from his blonde hair to his bright blue eyes. The events after his birth felt unreal, like a dream. He heard the door behind him open.

"Minato-sensei, all the members of the council are here. They are demanding you see them." Kakashi reported.

"Fine." Minato turned around. His old student had seen better days. Kakashi's clothes were covered in blood and torn, plus his other student, Rin, was also part of the casualties. "Kakashi, please watch over my son. I am afraid fear will make some people irrational."

Kakashi nodded. "Rin died protecting him, I'll do the same."

Minato sighed as he grasped the handle of the door. He prepared himself for anything, at least he thought so. Taking a deep breath, he turned the handle and went in.

XXX

The shouting and the demands immediatly hit him as soon as he entered. He ignored most of it, most of the shouting were demands on his son's life. He stood in front of the door leading to his office where Naruto was, the look on his face dared anyone to try to get by. "Silence!" He ordered, authority rang strong in his voice.

As fast of it started, the shouting ceased. Many of the council members were still ready to argue their case. Minato could see most of them were stand-in's. Meaning that the regular members were either dead, going to be, or injured. "I don't know why you all are here. If you here to try to tell me my son is the Kyuubi then get out!" He shouted, looking at each member in turn. That is probably the case, revenge is something that can change people. He thought, seeing no one move.

"This is outragous!" Uchiha Fugaku said as he stood up.

Minato crossed his arms. "Oh? How so?" He asked.

Fugaku pointed at the door behind him. "We should just kill it instead of sitting here!"

"You can try, but I wouldn't advise it." Minato challenged.

Fugaku's eyes changed to the sharingan, making him look menacing. "You would protect that demon?"

Minato shook his head. "No, I would protect my son."

"You are a fool. That thing is the Kyuubi. And by the honor of my fallen shinobi, I will avenge them!" He took a step closer.

"As I said, he is not the Kyuubi. Do not blame the jailer for the crimes of the prisoner." As he talked he slid his right foot slightly forward, raised both hands. His taijutsu was that of the Namikaze clan. Matching the Hyuga clan in grace, if not in devastating power. "But the jailer is busy holding the Kyuubi, so you all will just have to settle with me."

All the members looked worried. Though they wanted the life of the Kyuubi brat. They did not want to fight their Hokage just for that. Some did, but they were the minority.

"Where was that resolve early?" Minato mocked. "You were so eager to kill a defenceless child, scared now that you have to work for it?" Fugaku and the head of the Inuzuka clan, Inuzuka Tsume, glared at him. Or in Tsume's case, growled.

The Inuzuka clan loyalty to their Hokage outmatched their loyalty for their fallen comrades and family.

Minato stood up straight. "If none of you are willing to fight me to get to my son, then get out of my sight!" He didn't wait for a reaction, he went back into his office.

XXX

Minato let out a breath of relief as soon as he closed the door. "Seeing you're not dead, it must have gone good." Kakashi commented.

Minato grinned. "Well, I wish it could have gone better."