The moon hung lazily over konoha as Iruka bid farewell and left the Hokage's office. Sarutobi Hiruzen, however, remained, alone in the dimly lit office, he sighed, puffing on his pipe like a man who had just witnessed something profoundly confusing.
'How?Just what series of life choices led Mizuki to this moment'
It made no sense!
Hiruzen genuinely couldn't wrap his head around it!
Human fetishes were as vast as the ocean, but Mizuki's little stunt had left him shaken to the core.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A low, rhythmic rapping snapped him out of his thoughts.
Hiruzen frowned slightly. "Enter."
The door creaked open, revealing a man leaning on a cane, his head, right eye, and entire right arm swathed in bandages.revealing a man, who looked like he'd just walked out of a mummy convention. Deep wrinkles carved into his face, and an aura of perpetual gloom clung to him like a second skin.
"Ah, Danzo," Hiruzen greeted, raising a brow. "What brings you here so late?"
Danzo wasted no time. "You already know, don't you, Hiruzen?"
Hiruzen's eyes widened. "You know too?!"
Danzo scoffed, tilting his chin up. "Hmph. Don't underestimate the intelligence gathering prowess of my Root operatives!"
"Your Root collects intel on…this?!"
"Information is not about scale, but about seizing the moment."
"Uh… how does this relate to 'the moment'?" Hiruzen gaped. "Is this some kind of… trend sweeping the shinobi world now?"
Danzo calmly took a seat across from him. "I can't speak for the entire world, but it's certainly common in the smaller nations around us."
Hssss__
Hiruzen sucked in a sharp breath. "The world has truly…"
'Gone mad.'
Absolutely, irredeemably mad. He'd thought Mizuki was an isolated incident, but apparently, this was a cultural phenomenon in neighboring countries?!
At this rate, he'd never look at fish the same way again!
"Give the order, Hiruzen," Danzo said coolly, narrowing his eyes. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"What order?!" Hiruzen sputtered. "Even if it's…disturbing, issuing a ban seems excessive for a personal…preference?"
Danzo paused. "...Hiruzen, what are you talking about?"
"Wait, are we not discussing the same thing?"
"The land of waves is in upheaval!"
"Mizuki from the Academy slept with a fish!"
Silence.
Absolute, priceless silence.
Danzo's visible eye twitched. "...Slept with a fish?"
"Ahem. Right. Upheaval." Hiruzen coughed awkwardly, turning away. "What's happening in Wave?"
"The fishermen and dockworkers have revolted against the major shipping and fishing corporations," Danzo explained, before pausing. "...Hiruzen, did someone in our village actually?"
"Unfortunately, the evidence is… conclusive." Hiruzen took a long drag of his pipe. "But Wave's unrest doesn't concern us. What "order" did you want me to give?"
"Dispatch our shinobi to seize control of the land of Wave!" Danzo clenched his fist.
"Absolutely not!" Hiruzen snapped. "The other villages would see it as an act of aggression! It could spark another war!"
"If we move swiftly, war won't be an issue!"
"You're too reckless, Danzo! The village needs peace!"
"And you are a fool, Hiruzen! Letting this chance slip is nothing short of cowardice!"
"Enough." Hiruzen waved him off. "Danzo I'm Hokage."
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!" Danzo snarled, storming out and slamming the door behind him.
Watching his old friend leave, Hiruzen turned to the window. The night was serene, the village aglow with warm lights.
'Such a peaceful sight'
Which, naturally, made him think of Mizuki again.
'Didn't he live in the southern district?'
Hiruzen strolled back to his desk and lifted the cloth covering his crystal ball.
Logically, after being exposed by Hayashi, Mizuki should have stopped his activities. But what if the humiliation only excited him more?
Hiruzen had met that kind of deviant before.
Not that he was interested in Mizuki, Hiruzen's tastes were "very" normal, thank you. He was just "academically" curious. How did one even achieve that?
The crystal ball flickered to life, zooming in on the southern district.
No fishy business this time instead, Mizuki was talking to a shady figure in black.
*Konoha Southern District*
"I'll head to Lord Orochimaru's hideout tomorrow evening," Mizuki muttered to the cloaked man.
Originally, he'd planned to prove his worth before defecting. But thanks to that damned Hayashi Yuto, his reputation was now worse than garbage.
He had to leave. But first revenge.
"I have one last thing to take care of" Mizuki hissed, eyes burning with murderous intent.
"Tomorrow, then." The man nodded.
They parted ways.
Mizuki headed west straight to Hayashi's house.
He'd dug up the brat's address from the Academy records. Tonight, that little snitch would regret ever opening his mouth.
Then, he'd lure out the demon brat, make him watch his friend's corpse, and then slit his throat
'Perfect.'
The house was lit.
Mizuki grinned, licking his lips.
'No need for stealth.' Even if the kid screamed, no one would save him.
He kicked the door open
Empty.
'What?'
"Looking for me, sensei?" Yuto's voice came from behind.
Yuto leaned against a tree outside, arms crossed, looking way too calm for someone about to be murdered.
Mizuki sneered. "You think you're clever? I'm a chunin. You're a brat."
Yuto shrugged. "And yet, you're the one standing in a trap."
Mizuki looked down.
"Oh."
The shuriken's wire coated in oil, coiled around his legs glinting in the moonlight
"You little!"
"Did you really think I'd try to fight you head-on?" Yuto's hands flew through the seals. "I've been preparing for this."
Mizuki's blood ran cold. "That jutsu?! WAIT"
Fire style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!
Yuto exhaled and the wires erupted into flames.
As Mizuki's screams filled the night, the firelight danced across Yuto's face.
_____
***Bonus Alternate Ending ***
*Konoha Interrogation Room*
The ANBU captain, codename Tiger, stared at the crispy, slightly whimpering Mizuki tied to a chair. Across from him, Cat and Hound exchanged glances.
Tiger: "So. Let's start from the beginning."
Mizuki (muttering): "I regret everything."
Hound (leaning in): "We need details, Mizuki. For… official reports."
Mizuki (groaning): "Do we HAVE to talk about the fish?"
Cat (nodding solemnly): "Yes. Especially the fish."
*[Meanwhile, Outside the Interrogation Room]*
Kakashi leaned against the wall, flipping through Icha Icha Paradise as Iruka paced furiously.
Iruka: "How could one of MY instructors—no, HOW could ANYONE"
Kakashi (turning a page): "Maa, Iruka, fetishes are like ninja techniques. Some are… unconventional."
Iruka (whirling on him):
"UNCONVENTIONAL?! HE—"
Kakashi (raising a finger): "Ah-ah. Allegedly.Innocent until proven really, really weird."
*Back Inside*
Tiger (rubbing temples): "Okay. Let's try this again. Why the fish?"
Mizuki (defensive):"IT WAS A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS!"
Hound (scribbling notes): "A moment? Our intel suggests this was a pattern."
Mizuki (whisper-yelling): "IT WAS A PHASE!"
Cat (blinking): "A phase where you—"
Mizuki (covering face):"I WAS LONELY, OKAY?!"
Awkward silence.
Tiger (standing up):"I need a raise."