Recurring Nightmares

The bandaged demon stood a few meters away from the roaring storm that he was so accustomed to, watching it silently. He recalled the first time he got past this obstacle to overwhelm his adversary at that time. Naoki.. what had happened to his herald? No news had came of him, no updates.. perhaps he accidentally blew himself up with a firefly. Cloak billowing in the storm, the figure, along with it's cool puppies, was soon picked up via his immense chakra pressure.. the immense, recognizable chakra pressure. Once word relayed to the village, rumour spread like a man caught by a mine. Hushed whispers of terror, perhaps of what was to come with the return of the one they feared so, crept through the populace. Once the news was relayed to the Kage building, it would be Jester, the Molester, who'd expose what truth may fester to the new Mizukage, Haru Hyuuga.

Ren had been going about his day to day life in the village, dealing with the various academy brat's that were still failing to advance in any meaningful way, however on this day there was a deadly smell in the air, the scent of the ex-mizukage and his chakra made Ren feel sick. 'Thats it, I'm taking the rest of the day off' Ren thought to himself as he rushed home to drink some hard liqueur and pass out for the night.
[Exiting]
[Claiming a hangover]

Jester the molester, never the protester, did find sequestered, the Mizukage, whose angers did fester when Jester did pester, but subsided when he heard of the newly arrived contestor. The First Mizukage, said Jester the attestor, overheard by the secretary, the news did distress her. "Silence" said Haru, who addressed her. Wraith, the suggestor, offered to go in his stead, but Haru denied the requester. 

And this was how it came to be that Haru Hyuuga was arriving to Xyxer's position on the water, having passed through the barrier on the other side of the village to ensure Xyxer didn't sneak his way in. Haru commanded Wraith and Jester to remain in the Mizukage offices, under penalty of death, as he questioned their loyalty, especially now. They had saved Xyxer once before, what was one more time?

"Xyxer." Haru would say coldly, revealing his position to the Mizukage, about twenty meters away. "Why have you returned?"

Xyxer was wondering what in the world was taking so long. Was Haru mobilising some sort of.. suicide skwad to move in on his position? Somewhat flustered with the waiting queue that matches that of a hospitals, he shook his head somewhat and looked down towards his dogs, who were conveniantly on a raft so that they didn't drown as he traveled. He soon recognised the chakra signature of Haru moving from a way away, slowly around the barrier as he knew it.. that was irking. He simply watched him as he came into view, and then addressed him plainly. No love appeared to be lost.. how disappointing.

"I got bored. I miss.. our friendship." He paused momentarily as he watched Haru, a pang of sorrow on his features, which twisted into a wretched grin before his shoulders lifted and dropped, Atlas Shrugged. "I want what's mine, and I'm taking it whether I have to break you to do so. I mean, it feels very hostile out here, how about we head into MY village." He kept the sardonic grin on his face, picking at random points of Haru's being as he spoke to make him appear inferior, even to himself.

Haru listened to the man speak, no expression crossing his face. Had this happened a few days prior, his response might have been far more violent, but now, he was calm, cold as ice. He was emotionless. Xyxer paused, as if to observe Haru for a response, but he would get no such pleasure. 
"I think your village is a few miles north, buried under the sea." Haru spoke, just a touch of the very sardonic demeanor that Xyxer so often displayed crossing his face. 

"Now, enough games. What exactly do you want? You told me you didn't think yourself fit to lead the village." Haru demanded, his tone still mostly neutral, with an edge of contempt. "What could you possibly want from the village you abandoned?"

Haru made a remark, a witty remark. A remark about Old Kirigakure No Sato. He kept his grin formed, hiding the writhing anger inside of him as he closed the distance between the two, now only ten meters away from him, still pulling the raft his dogs were situated on. "What's it like, Haru? To serve the man who had YOUR village destroyed? To serve the man who had YOUR grandparents killed? To live in the shadow of the man who had YOUR student believe you killed their idol? Tell me, Haru, what's it like to be you?" Even with those words, he still wanted to beat the shit out of this mockery of a Kage, but alas, his puppies would probably be in the aftermath, fucking Sayomi.

Granted that Haru did not respond with violence, which Xyxer was currently teeming with and eager to unload, he'd continue on afterwards. "I want my ryo. I want ALL of the ryo that belongs to me. The funds of Tengakure, the funds of all of the missions I ordered. I want it ALL, and you're going to give it to me, just like you always did for your superior." He hoped if the man did act violently, as he presumed he would, that he would at least have the common courtesy to not kill or steal his fucking dogs, god fucking dammit Sayomi.

Haru could almost feel the rage wafting off of Xyxer, though he didn't show it. Xyxer was quite good at hiding emotions, but he knew how the other man felt in this moment. It was empowering, and for once, he felt like he was in control. The man retorted, the usual banter, blah blah blah, I killed your family, blah blah blah. Haru had reflected on it so much that he was desensitized to it.
"How did you feel, Xyxer, when you lost it all? When your village fell, how did you survive? Did you run away? Did you flee like a coward?" Haru interjected, cutting Xyxer off. His face was cold and harsh. "I'm tired of your games, Xyxer. Tell me why you're here."

Xyxer's demand for money surprised Haru.
"The funds of Tengakure are not yours to take." Haru said simply. "What is yours, I shall return to you, but that money belongs to the people." He told the former Mizukage. "However, you will not speak of yourself as my superior any longer. I am the Mizukage. You yourself confessed that you were not as capable of leading as I."

The form of Xyxer continued to advance towards Haru, however this time he discarded the rope that was tethered to the raft, allowing for it to hit the body of water behind him with a rough splash. His fingers clutched at the bandaging that covered his eyebrows, tearing it up and off, exposing his blue hair and facial features once more, having chewed the bandaging around his mouth down so that it was loosened enough to fall towards his throat. "I left before the village was attacked, you whelp. When you see a light that burns as bright as Sameonna, you can't help but follow it mesmerized. Your sensei Rin certainly thought the same, only he was much more fortunate than you.. he would have been dead had Sameonna herself not interfered before I removed his head like I eradicated your village. It's a shame, I can see ideals of him stuck in you.. yet you can't carry them out. Your very existence is desecrating everything Rin should be remembered for." He kept his arms relaxed by his side, ready to react instantly should he desire to.

"Everything here is mine to take, Haru. If you stand in my way, I will have no qualms feeding your remnants to my hounds as the taverns jest of the man who dared oppose Xyxer Gyojin." He paused momentarily, taking a second to listen to what Haru had to say before he laughed, a genuinely bemused expression crossing his features, "You believe rank makes you superior? It's your capability, you fucking dendrophile. I am your superior, I have defeated you in every way imaginable, and you'd be a fool to not recognise when you're standing against a tsunami." Xyxer stated plainly, watching him.

Haru took a step forward now his form tensing at the mention of his old master's name.
"Do not speak of him! Rin Taiki was more of a man then you'll ever be." Haru interjected, his anger finally showing at the mention of Rin. "I'm not afraid of you, Xyxer. If you try to cross me, I swear that you'll regret it. We'll find out just how loyal your hounds are when presented with their master's cadaver." Haru spoke coldly. 

"A tsunami cannot move a mountain, fool." Haru said simply. "You will not intimidate me."

Now, obviously, Xyxer had developed a great deal of respect for the man known as Rin, but unfortunately for his memory, he cared more about hurting others with the memory of him. This was both his burden and gift, his inability to.. feel remorse for his actions. He spoke once more when he knew that his words had struck home, "Rin can never be more of a man than I am, Haru. Everyone he served under.. I was held in higher esteem than him. They valued ME more than your Sensei. And, look what happened.." He paused momentarily, lowering his voice as if he was whispering at this point, "They trusted me more than your Sensei.. and I destroyed their village. I erased your worthless fucking village, the wonderful garden that Rin had made.. no longer." He watched the male once more, chuckling faintly, "You can pretend all you want, Haru. I've encountered enough men to recognise fear when I see it. To your Shinobi you can claim to be impervious to my aura.. but we both know the truth. As for my hounds.. who cares? Dogs do what dogs do, we just chase bones aimlessly."

He paused after what Haru said regarding tsunamis and mountains, laughing even harder than he had done previously in the entire conversation. "You are NO mountain, Haru. You're a hill at best. You're stuck in your ways, you didn't evolve and adapt like I thought you would. You let me down. You let the memory of Rin down."