Master and Commander (P, Fgt Xyxer)

The thick fog blanketed the surrounding area, and all of Kirigakure seemed to be at peace, much like the surface of the water on a calm day, however to those within the monsters that the ocean of fog held were a very real threat.  Among those monsters stood one alone whose power was so great that it only enhanced his ruthlessness.  The tyrant of Kirigakure he is called in distant lands, and is adequately deserving of that title, for the environment he had created was a blacksmiths forge for the most monstrous and dangerous shinobi in all the world.  Kirigakure, it is here that your personal strength can be measured in blood spilt, it is here where Yazu, the Demon of the Mist, now stood.
 
He looked down at the shattered and fractured remains of his previous leaders statue, a visage that for his entire life breed ill feelings and fear within him.  The only man capable of making him feel these emotions.  It was riveting to the boy how much of an impact even the statue held on him.  So now as he stood with his blood stained kimono blowing slightly in the wind and his chest openly exposed, revealing the odd stitch marks that covered his form, he could only think about how much he had missed that feeling without the Tyrants presence, and of how unimpressive the previous leader Haru Hyuuga was.  Though not because he lacked the physical strength to lead, but because of his ideals, ideals that had no place among the warriors of the Bloody Mist.  Friendship, Love, Kindness; these were a fool's errand and only embraced by the weak of mind and body.  True strength lie in ones determination.
 
So as the white haired boy looked away from the statue the hairs on his neck would raise, giving him an eerie feeling.  The feeling reverberated through his whole body, down to the very threads that held him intact.  "Caution...." he had thought to himself reactively activating his prized trophy eyes which he had confiscated from a missing ninja who was unable to pass the test of Kirigakure.  As a thick cloud of fog would erupt from his back filling the area his hands a blur as the hand signs formed.  The fog blanketed the entire area, to keep unwanted eyes off of him.  He scoped the area searching for blips of chakra that would be easily spotted with his sharingan. 
 
He had no reason to feel this way, but having killed many villager and shinobi alike within his own village the Medical shinobi knew that at all times, and every situation it was better to be safe than sorry.

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As was the case for many terrifying creatures, there was a red carpet of sorts laid out for them when they made their arrival. For some, it was generated from the chants and roars of their people, the men who viewed this bastion as a champion for them and their ideals, for others it could even be the strewn bodies of those who had opposed their will, but for Xyxer, on this day at least.. It was the very tangible fear that seemed to be nestled around the ruins of his statue. He had heard during his midnight strolls of the village of a wraith that wanders his broken ground, perhaps mourning, perhaps attempting to derive some meaning from the varying chunks that remained of that monument to his ego. It'd be interesting to encounter this creature, and so he did not bother to hide his presence, and as a result his chakra exuded from his body, alerting the figure he could see in the distance of his impending visit.

Of course, he had felt the area out with his chakra sensory and recognised the figure as one of the fucked up kids back when he was Mizukage the other time, one who seemed to ring quite a few alarm bells for many others within the village. Perhaps it was because he was as pasty as an albino, or maybe because he had fucked up eyes, or hell, maybe it's because he seemed obsessed on homicide. The red carpet for Xyxer continued to expose itself with the veil of a mist, almost as if the creature thought that would aid them in their escape, but of course, as soon as the Mizukage came into contact with the mist it'd start to dissipate, 'cause that's what Samehada tends to do. Om nom nom. Once he caught sight of the male, granted he hadn't run off, he'd simply fold his arms over his torso and watch him for a few moments, "It's a bit creepy to spend your spare time at the feet of a broken statue, Yazu.""

It did not take long for Yazu to realize that on this particular evening, he was no longer the largest monster in this ocean.  His eyes would instantly detect the monstrous chakra that poured forth and invaded the area surrounding it.  In that moment, he felt small, smaller than he had felt in quite some time.  How did this man impose such a stimulus within him, even without saying or doing anything.  Yazu had known that a conversation had been brewing for quite some time, and the white haired boy dreaded the day.  He had hoped it would occur in more favorable conditions than this.  The area was flat with an occasional tree nearby dotting the landscape, with small streams that intertwined throughout the island everywhere.  Yazu was neither a lover nor a fighter, he was a scholar.  His goals: to delve the secret and forbidden jutsu scattered throughout the land and ultimately attain "Perfection" and to do so, he needed to first survive. 
 
The moment he noticed the man approaching, Yazu would instantly disarm himself and wheel about to face Xyxer while the man was still a distance away.  He would deactivate the eyes prior to the moment in which he began facing Xyxer.  Yazu did not know the current political atmosphere in Kiri, as politics were boring and held no real benefit to him, so as such seeing Xyxer would more than pique his interest.  This individual should not be here.   Yazu would now be facing the slow walking man without the aid of his newest toys, so as not to raise any unwanted questions,  as Xyxer began devouring the mist into the massive sword that he wore upon his back.  The sword easily weighed as much if not more than the boy himself and was nearly as vast in size.  The weapon of a true behemoth.  Yazu would then bow to the man out of respect and grace, however unlike a traditional bow, in which the knee actually touched the ground, the boy would remain balanced upon his toes. 
 
 
If this encounter was about what he ultimately expected it to be about, Yazu would need to be prepared.  The murder of the Ex-Mizukage's personal servant was not something to be taken lightly.  As the man would come up stopping just shy of Yazu's bent form, far too close for comfort but not so close as to prevent a hasty retreat, he would say, "A bit creepy to spend your time at the feet of a broken statue."
 
"Is there somewhere else that you would find more suitable for me, Lord Xyxer?"  Yazu would reply quickly, watching the man's lower body in preparation, but avoiding eye contact out of respect.
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There was clearly a sense of unease exuding itself from the person ahead of Xyxer. His preemptive cloaking field, aka the jutsu that literally everyone knew if they were in Kirigakure, had yielded him naught but a few seconds to conceal whatever he needed, because that's what must have been happening.. Yazu had not broke out into a run during this momentary disruption to the Kage's vision, he was roughly in the same place he had been when Xyxer originally saw his outline. To top it all off, as he dropped towards one knee.. he didn't fully plant it into the ground. He was being cautious, he seemed to have a reason.. to think he could obstruct whatever Xyxer wanted to happen during this brief meeting. Such youthful arrogance.. from a creature that was likely far from new to the schemes of the world. He was street smart, the descriptor you use for when someone is basically brain-dead when it comes to actual academia, although that was clearly not the case here, this was, if news was anything to go by, one of the up and coming medical shinobi in this village. Did Haru extend this male an offer? Was that why the reclaiming of his land had been so easy? A foul plot seeking to undermine him?

Plots were so dull though. Xyxer shifted one hand off from his bicep and waved it towards the male in an arcing sweep from his left shoulder to his right hip as he spoke, "You seem to be a little tense, Yazu. You're not kneeling properly. I know you can, you've done it properly for me before. How about you plant your knee.. relax your legs and feet a little, Yazu, you're not lifting heavy weights at the moment, you don't need the grip, do you? What's got you so on edge, you didn't want to see me again?" Each word that escaped the lips of Xyxer seemed to drip with some mocking tone of cynicism, whether he'd get a rise out of the new Yazu was unknown although he doubted it from their previous encounters.

The man's words were coarse and grated against the boy's  ears.  They caused the white haired youth to shiver as they exited his mouth.  Of course Yazu must have been thinking wishfully if he had hoped to maintain any semblance of control on the situation, that was simply not how it worked when in the presence of the Leader of Kirigakure.  Yazu would shift his legs around with minimal movement so that his knees would be flat upon the cold soft ground and his toes bent beneath his butt counter balancing him so that when he would place his face upon the ground in the most humble of bows, he would not fall. 
 
"why so tense Yazu..." the question still lingered with him.  The fact that it was asked penetrated him all the way to the core.  Yazu was never anything other than tense in the company of Xyxer Gyojin, he was incapable of being stone calm with the man,  Yazu was certain Xyxer knew this, in fact he was sure that Xyxer preferred it that way.  So why then ask? Yazu thought to himself.  Why would he instead spend time analysing Yazu's semi dedicated bow?  It seemed very odd, unless.....  Unless Xyxer had been feeling cautious.  Unless the man was nervous as to whether he truly had the same levels of dedication from his people that he had prior to the hiatus.  If this were in fact the case, Xyxer's insecurity could be what was driving him to force Yazu to bow in such an overly dedicated manner.
 
Yazu's dedication never swayed, not once, during the man's disappearance.  He remained dedicated to the very same thing he was always dedicated to, himself.  Though Haru had tried very hard to force him into becoming a perfect little sheep ninja of the village, his attempts would never have stuck.  It was not that the boy didnt care to try, just simply that he couldnt. 
 
So now here stood Xyxer before him once again like many other times before demanding Yazu show the man every bit of respect that his inflated ego felt he deserved, and Yazu the ever capable opportunist who was more than willing to throw pride and self respect to the way side to see that he came out ahead.  Yazu would then place both hands upon the ground in front of him and outstretch them  forward as his whole upper torso would lean down until his face was flat upon the Earth, in what could have been described as the most solemn bow he was sure Xyxer had ever received.  The sort of worship bow given to God, not just a simple sign of respect, but one of faith and dedication.  Yazu was at his Lord's mercy at this moment.  He would wait until he was released from the prostrate position before he would lift his head, but would still attempt to ask the question, "Is there a purpose for your visit Master?"
 
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Overcompensation. This was a common sign of fear. One he didn't expect to be shown by Yazu of all people.. this male had been an ice cold guy back in his time, unfazed by the presence of Xyxer, yet now he was practically kissing the ground in front of Xyxer, worshiping him.. like a god. It made him sick. He felt a surge of disdain within him momentarily, an urge to kick the male in the ribs as a punishment.. but the irony struck him at this point. Here they stood.. in the rubble of a statue of himself that had once towered over the village.. a monument to himself, and yet he loathed the blatant display of respect that was being exhibited. Perhaps it was because of how comical it seemed.. how.. mocking. A display of violence upon his initial return to the village would be potent, but it would send the wrong message. Haru would be looked upon as a saviour from that point on.. a means to an end if someone should want to challenge Xyxer. No, he'd have to be smarter about this situation, he'd have to keep his cool.

Moving his right foot towards the left shoulder of Yazu, his toes would press lightly against the bottom of his flesh before a light pressure would be placed on it, attempting to lift Yazu up from his exaggerated worship of the male into a standard kneel. "Are you feeling lightheaded, Yazu? Is this what Haru made you do; worship him like a god?" Xyxer would pause for a moment, simply chuckling at the amusing notion that it would be. Such a respectful male demanding such a response from his people, despite his hatred on how Xyxer had lead the village. "I'm here because I heard rumours of a creature lurking here, it seems that dreadful thing is right in front of me. Having a hard time relieving yourself of the past, Yazu?" Lifting his leg, he'd idly kick a piece of rubble away from their position, watching it skip across the dirt before crashing into another pile of the same material.

The truth of the matter is that Yazu was indeed overcompensating, the boy truly felt that in this moment he needed to do all that was required to keep Xyxer's unbridled fury in check, the last thing he would want to occur is to be disemboweled on a random day of the week, this would be something that could really slow down his progress.  The moment his haphazard bow had been noticed he abandoned any hope of launching a worthwhile counter attack, or planning an escape.  The beast was now within an arms reach of the boy, a distance that was widely known to be guaranteed death for many.
 
Yazu no longer had line of sight on Xyxer whilst in the bow, so when Xyxer's foot made a connection with the boy's left shoulder, his entire body would clench, hardening at the soft impact.  His skin beneath the Kimono taking a blackened appearance and becoming hard as stone. starting at the point of impact and activating immediately in response.  This was involuntary, Yazu had no control over the reaction he had.
 
As Xyxer's foot lifted the boy back to a kneeling position, the man would easily notice the difference between the fleshy shoulder he expected to touch instead of the rock solid shoulder he was lifting, though the Earth spear did not activate in any noticeable locations on his body leaving The Mizukage to wonder whether Yazu was indeed not made of flesh or to speculate on whether he activated a ninjutsu.
 
Now in the kneeling position Yazu's entire demeanor would appear to change.  Having confirmed that Xyxer meant to him no outward harm.  He knew he would have to watch his words, and tip toe, but that ultimately this was a social visit.  His mouth would be drawn as a wide thin smile across his face forcing his eyes to squint.  His head would cock sideways giving the appearance of an innocent young boy, and his hands would clasp one another beneath his wide sleeves held directly in front of him in his lap.
 
"Do you think so little of me Lord Xyxer to ever believe that even if that man had demanded this of me, that I would ever obey?"  the response was light hearted and friendly, ending the question with a childish chuckle.  To anyone who knew little about Yazu they would believe he was as harmless as his appearance showed at this moment, but for those who did know him it could seem frighteningly sinister.  He would notice Xyxer chuckle at what seemed likely an inner monologue he had running within his own mind, then the man would state his intentions for visiting the statue.
 
It was true that there were rumors of some frightening creature lingering around the statue, Yazu had worked very hard to make that happen.  He had spent weeks frightening off many of the young students and villagers who would occasionally wander by, so that he could have an ideal area in which to contemplate his own shattering mind.  The visage of Kozata had appeared to him multiple times in the last week, but only when he was here, in the presence of the statue.  He would use the solitude that the rumors afforded him to discover more about what was occurring, whether he had actually acquired the strength of the Shinkou that he knew existed or whether his mind was splintering and he was falling down a dark road.
 

"Ah, yes, well those rumors are my fault.  I may have perpetrated them intentionally to ward off unwanted visitors.  I am fond of this area, but prefer to remain here alone and undisturbed."  The boy would reply non chalantly, keeping the same childish look on his face. 
 
"Is our past something we can ever escape Lord Xyxer?  Or are doomed to relive it for the rest of our lives?  I find that not dwelling on our past keeps the guilt at bay."  The boy had never once felt guilt for anything he had done, but he knew it was a normal response for those that commit atrocious acts.  He rarely felt any emotion at all, apart from fear and exhilaration. It was no fault of his own though, as he had come to accept.  He was born a killer by his own nature thanks to the heart stealing KKG he lived with.  He was a scorpion.
 

"Have you ever heard the fable of The Scorpion and the Frog my Lord?"  Yazu would then ask the man, still kneeling in front of him.

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There was a slight flicker of chakra in the shoulder where Xyxer's foot had touched. The male was being excessively jumpy it seemed, which was always good, unless you were perhaps in the front seat of a car holding a gun loosely pointed at a guy's head in the backseat who you needed to take to your boss, with the car then proceeding to go over a speed bump resulting in unfortunate road head all over the back window. Yet alas, Xyxer continued to listen to the male. He appeared to be acting friendly and jovial.. did he think they were friends? A lighthearted mistake, surely. 

The talk about guilt was strange coming form this man, but he understood the notion behind his words. "Why would you want to run from your past, Yazu? Without your past you're nobody, whether you followed the path of light, or the one in the dark, you've made choices that represent who you are." Xyxer shrugged his shoulders faintly, a blurring image of multitudes of executions he committed whirling through his mind, along with the recollection of his nickname a long time ago.. 'The Wrath Of Tengakure'. He'd always been revered for his intense aggression, yet here he was. "Is there an incident you recall that's making you feel guilt?" Of course, it seemed like a rather helpful and polite speech by the mizukage, but the concept that Yazu was talking about was intriguing to the one who had been plagued with bouts of regrettable actions in his youth.

It was around this point that Yazu spoke about one of the most interesting fables, one of the few that Xyxer actually found wisdom in. However, it'd be a lie if it was said that Xyxer didn't feel as if that had been an underlying challenge to the Mizukage, and so he'd act simply by crouching down towards the level of Yazu, acting as if he was getting comfortable and thus being easy to attack should he so wish, and this was in turn, his own challenge to the male, "It's a classic, but please, do share your thoughts."

Of course, Xyxer always had the innate ability to attach himself to the finer points of any conversation, which were anything you might have said to insinuate your vulnerability.  He was a predator after all, getting just as excited from the chase and the fear as he would from the success of the hunt.  Yazu however was not easily manipulated.  The boy continued to kneel as a sign of respect, but was far from vulnerable.  When you are not a towering giant who over compensates with a lack of penile girth by using large swords, you learn a thing or two about people.   The words you say can mean many different things, and it appears that as long as Yazu is forced to talk about himself he could glean no information from the mysterious commander. He would until the Mizukage would finish and would only speak following
 
"Interesting that you would ask me that, Lord Xyxer.  You see, my points about how the past being unescapable, and the Fable of the Frog and the Scorpion tend to tie in very closely to me.  You see unlike many people you encounter, they are rarely born destined to be the same as what they become.  I imagine that an infantile Xyxer would never have known the path he would take and become the warrior he is today.  However, I do not share the same luxury.  For I was born a scorpion.  Since as far back as I can remember, I have killed.  I am even quite positive that I killed my own parents as I exited the womb.  It is something as akin to me as a normal person finds taking a warm bath." Yazu's general appearance would shift as he stated these things, though his smile would remain unwavering. He had rehearsed this smile well, and knew it would be comforting when talking about more difficult subjects. "So as you say, our past defines us, I find that my past has only helped to make me a deadlier scorpion, as I can never change what I am. "  
 
Yazu's face would then move to a solemn tone, as Xyxer had now moved very close to him.  Well within kill range for a weapon master like himself, and far too close for Yazu to maximize his long range abilities to perfection.  If the Mizukage wished death upon him, he would be dead. Yazu remained un frightened by the man's presence though he could feel a lump forming within his throat and he could not ignore it, Yazu had to swallow it.  An obvious sign of handing over dominance. The threads that filled his body would shiver beneath his skin writhing with the excitement of the meeting begging to be released and to claim a heart today.  This was the first sign of withdrawal for Yazu, and he knew that it would only escalate.  He was lucky that he had recently claimed a heart otherwise he would find himself making the poorest decision of his short life.

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As Xyxer listened to the words of the creature before him, he did ironically, find a truth to them. He could relate to this boy, who was in essence, a monster. Barely human, yet treading the line enough to pass for one in this day and age. He even talked about the infancy of Xyxer, which was an uncomfortable subject for the Mizukage. He was born in the glorious land of Kirigakure.. Killing was all he had ever known, all that was ever encouraged of him. Gratifying brutality, masterpieces of violence.. he was unsure whether he was born to become the monster he had become, or whether the world he was born into had shaped him into the scorpion that tread it's solemn path. Was he as monstrous as this shell of a person before him? The male's eyes ran over the kneeling Yazu once more to take in his details, contemplating what he was saying. Even in the male's smile when he come to the end of that particular sentence reminded Xyxer of himself.. there was something off about it. He recognised it because he did it himself, the subtle changes in the flesh, and yet.. the absence of compliance with the eyes. The same hunger inside the iris that hinted at the true desire of Yazu.

Xyxer was no longer truly aware about his past, as some days he believed he had killed his own parents as a rite of passage into the ANBU Corps of Kirigakure.. to establish he was the remorseless, killing machine that he was born to be. Was Suzaku truly like that? In fact, he was no longer even aware if Suzaku had closed the borders in that village, perhaps he had killed that girl when she tried to exit just for the fun of it.. However, considering his actions was now a thing of the past for a man like Xyxer. He had stopped caring for truly empathizing a long time ago. The predator does not consider the sorrow of the sheep, nor the remorse of a craven. This boy that was opposite him was akin to him, they were one and the same in essence, yet the.. affliction they both suffered, was more outward physically for Yazu. He was not afforded the privilege of being able to hide within crowds, another familiar face with a disturbed mentality. No, he had to be more open about what he was. Poets could not help the urge to sing, and in turn the pair couldn't sate their urge to harm.

Returning the faint smile of Yazu's, an attempt to convey that he understood what it truly was, he'd start to speak himself, "An infant Xyxer was born in the village of Kirigakure No Sato, I am sure you are aware, Yazu. Where the fabled stories of strong, brutal shinobi reigned supreme. Legends like Zabuza Momochi.. a demon, they said, materalised into the world of shinobi. A literal monster, Kisame Hoshigaki.." Xyxer paused on this particular word, lifting his hand over his shoulder to wiggle the bulbous, clothed blade that resided on his back, "The tailless tailed beast. These were the people I grew up to recognize. Cruel people, with brutal traditions. A young Xyxer knew he would become something akin to them, whether he survived the path he set himself on, he did not care. The choice was simple: Either become a legend, or die a common shinobi. Whether I became the way I am from environmental or genetic factors alone is questionable, yet irrelevant. Once you discover what you truly are, deep inside.. you can't refute the calling of something greater." Of course, however, this topic would soon get out of hand unless one of the two decided to do something else about it, and so Xyxer would simply question before anything was to change, "Yet, why does the Scorpion not sting the Scorpion opposite it, Yazu?"