The Devil's Infantry ~P, NK~

Altar awoke, sitting up in bed and haphazardly stumbling out of it in the span of about a minute. The young ANBU made his way to the desk in his bedroom, in a corner diagonally across from his bed. The low roar of a slumbering dragon created a surprisingly suitable white noise for his new morning routine. The boy took a few pictures out of a drawer in the desk, tossing them onto the top. Each picture had a piece of paper attached to it, with information about each individual in the picture. As this time studying and debating had gone on, the list had shortened. Now that the decision needed to be made, he had his candidates cut down to a rare few. The boy would pick up each picture, skimming over the notes attached.

The first picture he picked up was the choice he felt most comfortable with. Rakka Yuki. Incredibly talented in genjutsu and ninjutsu. Someone he'd stumbled into becoming tentative friends with. They had fought on a few occassions, and from that the boy could pick out that the girl knew how to fight. She was quite a heavy drinker, but so was Haru. Taking the bad with the good would be a major part of this selection. None of these candidates were perfect.

The next, a man named Yazu. Possesser of a unique doton based bloodline. Strong, and a very well rounded fighter. Some of his techniques offered him amazing front and back line abilities. But he had, not terribly long ago, killed an innocent in the village. His bloodline thrived off collecting hearts, and it seemed he would go to any length to get them. Could he truly be trusted, or would he betray his fellow nin as well, for the sake of power?

Third, Ren Tsubasa. Probably the only one in the group that Altar could comfortably call friend. They had been planning a coup against the Kage. Getting the boy promoted would go a long way. Unfortunately, Ren went AWOL on a mission, and after receiving a telepathic message from the boy it seemed he had no intention of coming back soon. His choice would need to lie elsewhere. The young ANBU would open a drawer on an opposite side and toss Ren's portfolio in, it landing on top of the others he had decided firmly against.

Fourth, a boy by the name of Kozorou. Oddly similar to his once family Kozata. There were a lot of people that were incredibly similar that bore the 'Koz' beginning to their name. Weird. Anyways, Kozorou was talented in taijutsu, and he showed incredible promise in battle. Judging from what information he had gathered on the boy, they would pair incredibly well. But, Kozorou did seem to suffer from some sort of... inferiority complex. He seemed to feel an intense need to one up anyone, and you could never be sure how far that drive would push him. Could he be trusted to protect the kage when the choice came? Or would he take his new position of power and use it to try and prove he could be better than anyone, even the kage?

Fifth and finally was a boy he knew very little about. Mitako Raicho. The boy apparently possessed the same sort of beast that Altar and Xyxer did. Heavy handed with his use of weaponry to say the least, he also had control over sand, which could be incredibly useful in any multitude of situations. An incredibly bright boy who showed amazing promise, but he was lazy. That was it. He was just plain lazy and he was, like, never around.

Sighing and pushing the pictures into the drawer, the young ANBU would pinch the bridge of his nose, letting out a mildly irritated sigh. This choice wouldn't be easy. But it needed to be made. And it needed to be made now. The boy would rise from his desk, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking out the door, making his way through the streets to the kage building.

Once there, the boy would enter, coming to the doors to the office and knocking twice.

As of late, Xyxer had been sowing seeds throughout his misty village. Seeds of life and prosperity, yet also.. seeds that would grow into beautiful cornucopias of fortune and defense. Some of these seeds however, would never grow past that stage.. they would remain seeds; buried and unknown by all who passed by them. Villagers within his village had now been spreading information through the relevant links in order to transmit information towards the Mizukage, acting much like spies within his own village to tell him the opinion of himself with the masses, as well as the words that flew on the wind from those who were less than savory characters.

Xyxer had even heard there had been some less than pristine reviews of his Kageship on Kageadvisor, so he'd likely have to consult the most trustworthy person within his village. Altar Shinkou, the man who threatened to kill him, and the very same man he had tortured twice. It had formed a strong, undeniable bond between the two. Granted, it was mostly a bond of mutual hatred, yet on the horizons things threatened to change. The animosity could become admiration, the hatred turned to respect.. or maybe it would all combust into an inferno of rage and sour feelings that resulted in the death of one side. Neither of them would truly know until the time came, as in Xyxer's mind, the entirety of their time together had been a game.

With Altar crossing the premises, a few ANBU personnel who he happened across would inform the Wraith & Jester of his trajectory towards the building so that Xyxer could prepare himself. He seemed to never spend any time within the Mizukage chambers doing guard duty anymore. How sullen.

Shifting around the paperwork on his desk, including parchment that was ready to be used for a letter he'd be sending shortly, he'd speak out towards Wraith with a simple request, "Kindly go fetch a jug of water and two glasses." To which the subservient ANBU would oblige, fulfilling out the duty promptly before the arrival of Altar. Filling his own glass with the jug, he'd stop once the water level was roughly an inch from the top of the glass before resting the jug on the clear desk once more.

Once Altar had knocked on the door, Xyxer would nod his head for the ANBU to open the door from the inside before allowing him in, promptly shutting the door behind him. Granted that Altar showed the proper respect by performing the tradition of kneeling, he'd speak simply while gesturing towards the chair and the jug respectively, "Please, take a seat. Pour yourself a drink if you wish, I can only imagine you're rather parched and this situation will go much more smoothly if your throat isn't dry." Xyxer said clearly, embellishing his words with a faint smile while lifting his own glass towards his lips to take a sip before lowering it back down, "I assume you're here regarding the new age of ANBU?"

Once the door in front of him opened, Altar would do a quick scan of the room, his eyes flitting from everything from Xyxer, to the table, to the resident guard ANBU, to the glasses and jug of water-

Wait, water? Well, that was surprisingly cordial of the lord kage.

The young ANBU would walk through the open door, taking a few paces before dipping to one knee, bowing his head for around a second before raising it again, rising from his kneeled position and taking the seat offered to him. The boy would fill the glass before him as the tyrant took a drink from his own, questioning him about why he was here. Did a man made of water need to drink water? Did a man who was housed a monster need to exhibit one? Idle musings.

"Thank you for the drink. Can I not come to greet you for a chat as an old friend, Xyxer?" the boy would say, clawing at an attempt to ease the shocking formality in the office. The boy would drink from the glass, setting it down half full on the table in front of him. "Yes, Lord Kage, the day for the decision has come." the young ANBU would say, the possibilities still rolling in his head. Four people. Only two could be chosen. He thought he had the final decision made, but would the kage accept the two he put forth? What would happen if they were declined? Was he to go back to the drawing board, or would he be forced to team with people of the kage's choosing?

Only time would tell.

Already this was going much smoother than Xyxer had initially anticipated. Altar had actually knelt and did not need to be reminded to do so, which caused his dark, cold heart a small pulsation of warmth. It was nice when people started to understand their roles, and it appeared that Altar was finally starting to fulfill his. Perhaps he would no longer need to know the cold kiss of a flaying blade peeling his skin, or maybe this was just wishful thinking. Perhaps he truly was changing, and the idea of torturing a man no longer appealed to his sadistic nature. Nobody could be certain, especially in this room.

It was peculiar for Xyxer to ever be thanked, especially when the words weren't stammered out of some terrified creature's mouth in a final plea for survival. Whether it was genuine or not Xyxer was uncertain, as the motives of Altar had been clouded to him for a long time. He hadn't even spouted any interest about what had truly happened between himself and his best friend, Haru Hyuuga, or perhaps it was just professional courtesy. Yet, he'd simply nod his head in appreciation of the comment to show that it had not fallen on deaf ears.

Curling upwards, his lips lifted to reveal a rather amused grin when Altar spoke of them as old friends. There were very few people Xyxer could truly consider a friend, and he believed the same would be true for Altar. They were both treading a rather dark path, and the isolation would only become more noticeable with the demons they now caged, "I'm always around to talk, Altar. Would you rather talk about the draft from the sea, our loss of people dearest to us, or perhaps even that large, peculiar building that you seemed to walk out of this morning?" Xyxer chuckled faintly towards the end of his sentence. That building was just waiting to fall over if the storm was to lower at any point, he'd certainly have to bring that issue up with the boy who forgot he was no longer in Tengakure. As Altar finished speaking, Xyxer would wait for what would come next, a light turning of his hands to indicate that Altar was the one in the driving seat of the discussion.

The boy would smirk at the kage's words, but he was grimacing inside. He had known that was coming, he had hoped it would be much later, however, possibly when the man had no power. He loved his home. "So you've been monitoring my movements. You should try to afford me more faith, Xyxer. I've grown quite quickly out of my revolutionary phase." the boy would say, chuckling. "Nonetheless, my home was designed as a remnant of the place that took me in when I was lost, and gave me a home. If you'd lie a redesign, it can be arranged, but that can be discussed at a later date, or at least after our primary matter of business."

After this, the boy would take another drink of water, topping off his glass after setting it down. The young ANBU would fold his hands in his lap and clear his throat, doing his best to develop a tone that at least somewhat fit the formality and gravity of the matter he was speaking about. "I've... definitely deliberated the issue. I've come up with a few possible options." the boy would say, before finally deciding to dive straight to the heart of the issue.

"My primary choices are Rakka Yuki and Mitako Raicho. I've seen Rakka in battle and can attest first hand to her abilities. Mitako i've seen less of, but i've heard he's just as skilled, and that he possesses a beast like us. If that's true, he'd be invaluable at a higher level of command." Altar would say, pausing a few seconds before continuing, giving Xyxer some time to reflect on his first picks.

"Past that, Kozorou has shown incredible promise in battle, but I worry about how much his innate sportsmanship and showmanship will impact his ability to work with a cohesive unit. My last choice, I suppose, would be..." the boy would say, suddenly biting his tongue before suggesting Yazu.

"The new Uchiha girl. Angel. I believe she can be rained and molded into an incredible fighter if we start early. She was a bit... lackluster, on our mission. She was saved by Aryll, and i'd recommend her for a place, but i'm afraid she relies too heavily on her puppets to encapsulate everything an ANBU needs to do. It'd be hard to remain stealthy and undetected in a ten meter tall war machine. But Angel relies on no such machine. She has untapped potential." the boy would say, falling quiet after this. He had presented his options to the man. All that was left was the deliberation and final selection from the presented candidates.

Or so he hoped. Business with Xyxer never went that smoothly. Never.

While Altar chuckled about growing out of his phases, there would be no return of emotion by Xyxer. His cold, grey eyes would instead remain piercing the male with the grin he exuded a few seconds ago no longer being there, instead replaced by a neutral expression that didn't immediately betray his feelings on that subject, yet the sudden absence of warmth in his face would likely be enough of an insinuation on the subject. The redesigning of Altar's home would be talked about after the original body of the meeting, Xyxer knew, such a large building was detrimental to his civilians in Kirigakure if a village destruction was to happen. Granted, a village destruction in itself was detrimental to the civilians life, yet his village would never truly be destroyed as long as he was there to defend it. Perhaps a stray water missile or something of the same ilk

However, the beast in human form would listen to his head honcho's considerations for ANBU training, as Altar would have to have a degree of involvement in the selection of the people that would soon be joining his rank, or perhaps even taking it. This entire scenario would simply be a reach around session if Xyxer was to agree with all of his candidates and his stated reasoning, so he would provide a contrast against each of them in order to provoke a more detailed, and perhaps more honest response.

Xyxer's left hand lifted up towards his forehead, scratching it idly for a few seconds while he lifted his glass with the other, simply drinking the rest of the liquid that was in the glass. It was important to remain hydrated, he mused to himself before filling the glass back up with water, the jug quite likely half empty now. He'd start to vocalize his own opinion at this point, "Skilled in battle she may be with her genjutsu tricks, she's very efficient with them, there is no doubt in that. Perhaps she could make a great ANBU, if she wasn't so motivated by drinking herself half to death. What use do I have for an alcoholic ANBU? You can't rely on them, and you can not place your faith in them to give up their old ways. If she was to forsake that habit, then she would be a good candidate." Xyxer would say as he started to dismiss Rakka, granted Altar did not offer a rebuttal as to how this was outweighed by her positives, although the alcoholism issue was truly quite a vice for her to even be considered in his mind.

The name of Mitako somewhat confused Xyxer for a moment, especially when he was put on par with Rakka when it came to combat efficiency and that his bijuu would make him a better shinobi of a high rank, which simply elicited more confusion by the Mizukage, "I've encountered Mitako and I like to believe I know him relatively well. As well as a leader would know his subjects at least, I obviously can't allow everyone the same attention some people get." He smirked momentarily at the slightly sinister comment before he continued on, "We should not elevate his rank simply because he is like us. That is not far on our people, nor him. If he is given the burden of responsibility, he'll collapse under it and the Bijuu within him will take over and cause the deaths of many. On top of that.. he is a sloth in human form. I haven't seen his drive, nor his desire to become what we need. I have encountered him and he has achieved some mastery over the beast he houses, so he will be considered, yet his laziness is the most notable aspect of him. That's not good."

He'd pause after that in case Altar had any points to make for Xyxer to change his mind, even taking another sip from his glass in order to moisten his throat once more so that it didn't get sore. If he started to croak during this meeting, he'd likely have to either kill Altar so nobody else would know while cutting out his other ANBU's tongues, or simply commit seppuku. Yet, since he wouldn't croak due to this preemptive measure put into place, he would continue, "Kozurou won his Blood Games, so he certainly has a claim to the position. He showed drive, and I have had Wraith spar with the boy in order to determine how combat ready he is. It was.. not the best display of skill, yet he was not deterred by himself failing. He simply needs to be honed. He carries the traits we wish to breed in our shinobi." He disputed to Altar, and if truth be told, he did not remember the male acting like a showman. Perhaps they had both encountered different personalities of the same boy. Everyone seemed to carry more than two personalities on them at all times in this world, he mused.

While Altar spoke about Angel, Xyxer's expression for perhaps the first time throughout their entire time together became notably confused. His mouth was slightly agape, his eyebrows somewhat furrowed, and his blinking slowed down as if he was trying to understand what had just happened. He allowed Altar to finish speaking about her before he'd respond to him, his words tentative, "Angel is but a Genin, Altar. She has not proven herself to anyone, nor even to you from what you've said. Lackluster during a mission and relying on others, yet you wish for her to be groomed for ANBU? You do understand the suffering she will endure if we were to pursue that path for her through all of these ranks? Clans do not make the person's potential, Altar, you should know that given how you're one of the first Shinkou to be known to this world." Or maybe they do, he heard that there were maybe two Hozuki leaders at this point in time, what was an amusing notion. He'd have to assault his Hozuki brother to establish dominance. He'd continue on however, "I've noticed you excluded perhaps the most driven shinobi in this village. Yazu of the Mist. Might I inquire as to why?"

Xyxer scratched the side of his face while watching Altar, pondering about his choices until he spoke again. They all seemed to be his friends. Which posed the question as to whether Altar picked these shinobi to be loyal to him, or to his Mizukage.

"Indeed, she's an alcoholic. But Haru had much the same love of drink, and he made a fine ANBU, and i've yet to see it impact her effectiveness in battle or her drive when she receives a call to arms. If it impacts her performance, it would need to be dealt with. Past that, what she does in her free time should be her choice. We all have our vices." the boy would say in defense of what could probably be seen as his most logical choice.

"You have yet to collapse under the pressure as kage, and I have yet to collapse as ANBU. I believe Mitako would be able to handle it, especially with how... lackadaisical he is. And again, he is lazy, but it has never impacted his performance in a fight or that he answers when he's called on. When he's needed, the boy performs."

The boy would say nothing following the kage's reply to the proposition of Kozorou, noting that the kage seemed relatively content with this choice. Altar would have to remember to put the boy to the test himself when he got the chance. 

"Angel has shown drive and a surprisingly intense loyalty to you. If she can be taught to fight, what else is needed?" the young ANBU would say, shrugging. "The suffering would be torment, but it tends to temper the one going through it. It makes them something... greater. And for someone with potential, it can be exactly what they need. She's a... sub-optimal choice, obviously, but if all other options failed..." the lucky beast would say, cutting himself off for obvious reasons.

The boy would flinch at mention of Yazu, sighing to himself that the option could no longer be avoided. "To be quite honest, Xyxer, I don't trust Yazu. He's too power hungry and he cares too little for the lives of the people of Kirigakure, the people we're supposed to protect." the boy would say, his eyes turning surprisingly steely. He wanted to get off the subject quickly. It would give Xyxer less time to truly debate whether Yazu was ready for ANBU or not. He may have been ready physically, but he would never be ready mentally.

The hand of Xyxer reached through the air once more so that he could scratch his jaw as if it was to alleviate an itch, but it wasn't a physical itch. Rather, the Mizukage was merely filling the physical void while keeping himself occupied, lest that absence of scratching caused a violent action to be carried out. Alcoholism was an imposing vice as it created an unworkable servant; how could Xyxer put his faith in someone who didn't understand moderation in the most simplest of aspects? Retaliating to the boy's defense, Xyxer spoke again on the girl, "The candidate's drive and prowess in combative situations is not to be taken lightly, you are correct, but the vice is much more serious than that. If I picked my ANBU from martial prowess alone, you wouldn't sit where you do today." After he finished that short dialogue, he'd raise the glass of water up before taking a sip once more, allowing a light pause to hang in the air before he lowered it back down to continue, "Her hobbies are hers to choose from, granted they wouldn't endanger her position or provide any shadow of doubt of her capabilities as a ninja of that standard. Just because you rue the death of Youta doesn't mean you should find another sheath for your sword by getting them promoted to a rank they can't fill." The development of the last sentence devolved almost into a snarl, something Xyxer would subdue soon afterwards but the words had already been heard.

Another pause hung in the air as Xyxer contemplated his options on how to handle that light display of aggression, and perhaps if he was another man, or he was sitting opposite a different person, he'd have been able to apologise for his insensitive comment; Yet it wasn't, and he couldn't. Instead, the dirty ice that nestled behind his eye sockets remained resting on Altar, his face a pale mask that failed to betray any of the thoughts that currently paraded through the beast's mind. This was the price the Mizukage paid for not allowing signs of weakness to be witnessed, and he considered apologising to someone he wasn't on good terms with as weakness. A sign of a lack of power, a lack of confidence. Yet to others, it was a sign of arrogance instead of confidence, a display of pointless bullying. In another life he could have apologised for the comment, but not this one.

Lifting his shoulders slightly before dropping them, Xyxer carried out a motion he repeated many times throughout his dealings with others, he shrugged. He shook his head while shrugging, his mind already made up on this particular choice, "We achieved our ranks before we received the burdening of demons. We didn't grow with them inside of us as we progressed inside of the village, yet he'll always have that voice in his head. His lack of enthusiasm alone is a great indicator that he does not deserve, nor want, the rank of ANBU thrust upon him. I'm not willing to force such responsibility upon him until he demonstrates a greater maturity." Xyxer breathed for a moment before quickly following up as if he was attempting to interrupt the boy if he planned to speak afterwards, "Please, Altar. Consider the candidates by their traits, not how much you personally enjoy their company. Alcoholism, bone-idle.. these are not good traits for us to aspire for our new selection. I understand that you perhaps don't quite understand what I want from you, but I will be giving you lessons regarding that in due time. Just, please, weight the traits yourself before ushering them to me."

Listening to the reiteration on Angel, he'd shake his head once more before his words flew from him, "No, she's far too green behind the ears for us to even consider her an option. Perhaps you can train her yourself, then present her to me at another time when she could actually hold her own at that level. We don't babysit children for their parents, Altar, we want shinobi that are only a step away from the final platform, not an entire flight of stairs." 

Altar had very little to say about Yazu, perhaps he'd had a bad experience with the male. Encountering someone that reminded him of Xyxer would likely be quite traumatic, if not downright irritating, but Xyxer's response would be simple, "He's loyal, he's potent, and he's.. unique. However, we have conflicting opinions on who should be ANBU.. yet I did say you'd have a say in the new squad." Xyxer took another sip from the cool water in his glass, "I propose they fight; Yazu and Rakka, that is. Our candidates pitted against one another to see who is more ready to join our team. If Rakka wins, I expect her penchant to excess alcohol to be drilled out of her by you. If Yazu wins, feel free to tell me your complaints about him, if you can't do it right here and now." And that was it. The proposal had been made, and it was now a question of how lucky the male believed himself to be when gambling with lives, especially of those dearest to him.

As the man's tone devolved into a snarl, he spoke ill words of Altar's choice and faith in Rakka, before quickly stepping over a line drawn deep into the metaphorical sand.

"Altar, don't, he wants a reactio-"

Of course, Nekoda's protest was drowned out by the roar of the lucky beast in his ear, flaring his anger to heights that, in that moment, was brought to an incredibly feelable level. The boy would rise quickly from his seated position, barely withholding the temptation to slam his hands down on the table in what could be described as closest to fear that it'd shatter under the weight and intense pressure. It was a very nice desk. It'd be a shame to destroy it.

"Cretin! I should rip the throat from your body so you may never speak her name again!" the boy would say, his typically deep, monotone voice coming out slightly shrill and emotional, making it rather clear the beast had gotten the better of him. The boy would lean back, dropping back into his seat, the beast's moment of fun having passed.

"The name of an angel...is not fit to pass through the mouth of a demon." the boy would say, grinding his teeth in an effort to not lash out again. He was better than that. The beast would not get the best of him again.

Of course, the boy would hear out Xyxer's rebuttal on each of his presented options. He would choose not to go on arguing with the man. He had presented his choices. They had both given viewpoints. The winning options were quite clear. The lucky beast would compell him to agree to the kage's gambit, his mind racing at the chance to gamble with anything, however important it may be be damned.

"Accepted. If I can train a dragon to roll over, I can beat alcoholism out of a drunk." the boy would say, grinning as the beast felt satiated with the gamble. The young ANBU would take a drink of water, before thinking to clarify on the final set of the squad to be. "So then the squad will consist of myself, the winner of Yazu or Rakka, and... Kozorou, I presume?" the boy would say, cocking an eyebrow at the kage.

When presented with a knot in a rope that you had to undo, there were multiple ways in order to go about doing so. Those of a more peaceful nature would be inclined to simply undo the rope, allowing it to be added to their inventory and used to their own whims. One could even coerce a nearby citizen to undo the rope for you if it proved too difficult of a job for one man alone.. or, you could be the soldier who slashed the knot, not caring for why it was, or any usage of said rope thereafter. You see, this was being stated as Xyxer, despite his nature as a soldier, had tried to follow the first path when regarding Altar. Failure upon failure, outburst upon outburst, and he'd not truly punished the male. He'd tortured him trivially, and he was able to recover from that. Xyxer had even attempted to talk to the male as if he was an equal, which he was far from.

It was time for the knot to be slashed, instead of trivial attempts to unfurl it from it's coiled binding.

The first thing that happened when Altar's outburst happened was a slight lifting of the eyebrows, a clear sign of surprise, which showed that while Altar had his attention, it was not for a good reason. As his squeaky voice continued, accentuated with the insult that came first, it was when Xyxer's mind had started to work on the punishment. They were not equals, and they never would be. Despite loss after loss that Altar experienced against the Mizukage, he continued to bear overwhelming ill will towards him despite his many attempts to understand and accept the male. He'd forgiven him one too many times. This was not going to be a repeated mistake.

Showing little but a stoic appearance, his expressions remained neutral while the boy continued to idolize Youta, which was admirable. Yet, he'd called Xyxer a demon.. It was one thing to be a demon when you were the head of ANBU, a character deserving of all the fear and power that the title afforded.. but a demon as a leader was an entirely different entity. It was detestable, and Altar's implication was going to have a heavy bite. If you continue to nibble the hand that feeds, you can only expect the superior creature to remind you of your place. "You can't allow such an action, Xyxer. Behaviour like this from a subordinate is unacceptable." The booming voice stated within him, further confirming the actions that were about to unfold.

If Altar had been smarter, perhaps this story would have been longer, and maybe he would have learned his lesson from the multiple slaps on the back of his hand he received earlier, yet it was not to be the case. Spinning into view, Xyxer's eye changed into a bloody crimson while the pattern of black formed around the pupil. Xyxer's burning eye would glare into Altar's own as a connection would form between the two mentally, which would be supplemented by the words of the Mizukage, "If you attempt to avoid this, I will reunite you with your love in the afterlife sooner than she'd like."

With that, Xyxer's hand would now be on the hilt of Samehada, before Altar performed any further action, should the male decide he wants to play a hero. Whether he did or did not was irrelevant, for Xyxer at least. The death of this male had been a long time coming, and if Altar desired to further shorten the thread that he called his life, then it was his own freedom to choose such an action.

[EMS activated, Tsukuyomi used

I'll tally the AP next post if he decides to fight]