Hey brother, there's an endless road [P]

The duality between the two brothers was amusing. They had once shared a womb together, yet they strayed further away from the other than one would anticipate. Perhaps it was the desperate need for individuality that had warped their bodies and powers. One brother drowned his foes, the other electrocuted them. A master of water. A wielder of lightning. Takeo had become Kage before himself under the fabled leaders of Tengakure. The ruse was that they had been joint Kage, yet that was not true. Equality was not possible for them. One star had to burn brighter than the other, yet that only signaled its impending death... perhaps it was best to allow Takeo his moment to illuminate the world.

Wandering through the village, the conqueror wielded a peach in each hand. A supple fruit that he'd only discovered when he came to this village, a delicious one he enjoyed treating himself to every once in a while. This time, he intended to do it in the presence of his brother as a moment of bonding. A dark whisper scratched the back of his skull, ushering harsh suggestions to the younger twin. These words could be ignored while Xyxer drifted like a wraith through the entwining roads until he finally came upon one of the beaches that this particular island harboured. He'd heard that Takeo was often seen in this area, a theory that proved to be possible when a spot of white locks could be witnessed further down on the sand. Moving towards the Tadashi, Xyxer would call out before pitching a peach towards Takeo, "I'm surprised you haven't gone wandering again, brother." A simple statement, yet one that held truth to it. Takeo seemed to lack a home despite where his family conjugated. For Christmas, he ought to give the man a handcrafted shell that he could put on his back. Takeo the tortoise. Apt.

A heavy sigh broke through the silence that had lasted for the better part of an hour. Takeo's arms dropped from their raised position back to his sides and his body relaxed. From that movement the condensed block of sand that stood in front of him collapsed under it's own weight. That signalled the end of the routine once more. The young man sat back on the sand, wiping away at the sweat on his brow with a towel he had brought with him. His arms ached, the hours of work beginning to take it's toll on his body.

The concept of training was foreign to the man who now re-hydrated himself from a plastic bottle. He was a once in a generation talent in the shinobi world. Chakra manipulation was instinctual to him, as was the ability to create and learn new techniques. Training was never something he had bothered with for that reason. A menial task that was reserved only for those who were not born with the right to be powerful. It was but a placebo, intended to make the lesser beings of world feel satisfied that they had at the end of the day tried their best. He had always detested the idea of it, yet now the man found himself in the midst of it.

It was mind-numbingly dull, tedious work, and it was for that very reason Takeo had decided to indulge the whispers that had plagued him like a broken record for several weeks. Concentrate only on the laborious exercises and the days were no longer as long. There was no time to sit and dwell on his own thoughts, the very thoughts he once relied on which now haunted his every waking moment.

Continue to work and with time all thoughts of that woman would leave him, that was at least the method behind the madness that now ran his life.

A regular routine such as this by design provided little time for rest. So fleeting were the moments that such concepts as being social had long since been forgotten. The only constant source of communication was that which happened within his own mind. A connection between the beast and the host continued to grow, their ideals and plans for the future shaping together as they continued to grow in acceptance of the other.

Even family had been put behind him. While his residence was still within the Tadashi complex, the interactions he had with his siblings had devolved to little else but an exchange of pleasant greetings should he come across them. The irony was not lost on Takeo that while he was now close to his family in the physical sense, emotionally they had not been further apart than they were now. A rift had formed between him and them, one that with each passing day continued to grow. Takeo had long expected such a thing to come to fruition.

They didn't understand, few did. Takeo stood on top of the world, a being of unique power that lived within the upper echelons of humanity. A height that few could even imagine, and fewer still could ever reach. He possessed the power to crumble nations with little effort, the famed beasts that roamed the earth fell beneath him. Such power came with a burden. A burden that was understood by only a handful of people, those who possess it themselves. To stand above all others meant that you could not remain by the sides of those of lesser stature. His family no longer stood by his side. If they could not stand by his side through their own power, then it was better they watched from afar, and so his family had drifted.

It was lonely at the top of the world, Takeo knew it all too well. Whoever had stood along side him was dead. His mentor whom he had grown fond of under his leadership was gone. The woman who had saved his life was also gone. Whoever had remained by his side was no longer their, such was life. Except there was one who remained, the one other who he could consider as an equal to himself. The only remaining constant that had not yet abandoned him, the man who kept finding Takeo when he didn't wish to converse and was now throwing something at him.

Deftly Takeo plucked the peach from the air with his right hand. The white haired man examined the fruit for a moment before turning his attention toward his twin. "There is little else to wander to." The man replied truthfully. Most of the continent he had visited at one time or another, the remaining parts warranted little reason to explore now. "I'm surprised you've come out from your office for once. Did you come here to escape Jester's talk about his latest fling? It was a plausible enough reason, Jester was after all the more talkative of the ANBU pair, to the point of severe irritation if exposed to him for long than a couple of minutes at a time. "Or are you here on business." The man asked, taking a moment to wipe his face over with the towel once more. Takeo looked worse for wear, the lack of sleep and the recent exercise not helping the matter, so the minor things to make himself look even remotely better than before was warranted in his own mind.

For a fraction of a moment, time itself seemed to warp and shroud the snowy-haired twins. Power was but a memory, an illusion to keep grasping towards without realising that it dragged you further into the abyss. If you reach a little longer, no, that’s not enough, stretch your fingers outwards. Not enough. Lean further in, place more of yourself inside the consuming mass of darkness. Bit by bit, piece by piece, it devoured and regurgitated a mere imitation of what had once been. Yet… in this tranquil moment that was forgotten by the world, there was no power. No need for strength in the company of his brother. The Kage did not need to wield his title over the man, nor flex his strength. There was a mutual yet silent respect between the duo, one that could not be understood by outsiders. Stronger than just brotherhood. Right here, right now, they were without the nuisances of civilisation and its consistent whine for proper form and talk. Simply brothers on a beach.

From the outside, that was all they appeared to be without prior knowledge on either of them. If they had never became shinobi, this moment may not have been possible. Xyxer himself would likely have perished in Kirigakure during its morbid demise; one of many victims to a nauseously ego. Through his training, he’d escaped that untimely demise if only for a year or two before he felt the terror all would soon share… yet he’d came back from the spectral tendrils which sought to drag him into the depths. At least, most of him had… there seemed to be a lingering memory of something that should be with him. The trace of something unknown which left him feeling… incomplete.

Interactions with the fellow Tadashi aided him in forgetting this emptiness, pleasuring his soul like the kiss of sunlight warming his skin. With Takeo around he felt the closest to whole as he had in a long time, yet he’d never confess such things. Affection for others was a weakness, even if they were kin. When one grows attached to people, they have something to lose. They no longer fight with the fervor that’s required in moments of madness. The rabid ferocity that separates great warriors from the legendary. While he glanced towards his brother, he pondered whether he was attached to him. Was that where his weakness stemmed from?

His brothers tired voice wrought a light grin on the face of the younger twin, he wasn’t wrong that Jester had an affinity for sowing his seed in many fields. Confidence such as that was a desired trait for ANBU, even if your bragging did reach the ear of the Mizukage. They’d been around one another for so long that if truth be told, Xyxer had almost forgotten it was his role. ANBU… it seemed all of those who could be considered respected by Xyxer were on his ANBU squad. Did his affection develop from those that proved they could be useful to him? Was that even a peculiar thing when everyone felt the same way? Kage were not afforded the privileges of their underlings, they had to ensure they weren’t entirely submerged in the inky well that called out to those that desired power. A vexing arrangement.

Finally, he responded to the man that was no longer alone on the beach, “I’m simply here to talk to a sibling about their travels in the ninja world. Journeys which I’ve been unable to fulfil myself due to the burdens I now carry.” For a brief moment there was venom in his words, yet he persisted as if nothing had changed, “Which, inevitably, will lead to business. The world is a strange thing now. It seems everything has changed since the days I was permitted to spar on the borders in my youth. Whereas you’ve been everywhere.” Once again, brief poison trickled from his words before he quickly moved on, concealing the subconscious gesture, “I wish to know what you know about the countries you’ve visited. The rotten lands of Kumogakure which now has different leadership… Hoshigakure, which too, shares in the same changing of Kage. What do you know of these… so called, ‘major villages’?” Curiosity rose from the voice of the conqueror while he went further in, stepping closer until he was at the side of his brother.

From this position, he raised the peach towards his lips and took a large bite. A soft fruit which filled his mouth with flavour. A foreign luxury that wouldn’t have been discovered had he not came to these islands. What wonders had Takeo discovered in lands that Xyxer had not yet ventured? Which villages contained more fruits to be desired. Where was the place that would finally relent and provide him a legacy that would last an eternity?

The reason for his brothers appearance on the beach became clear when the man began to spoke. Takeo listened with a resigned look upon his features, business it was then. If one spends enough time with someone it grows easier to read them. Despite the mask that his brother wore, Takeo knew him well enough to notice the changes in his demeanour, not matter how minor they were or how brief. The irony that the man that had chosen to take from him his village was jealous of how Takeo travelled was almost funny to him.

Takeo doubted that his twin was here simply to know more about his travels. There was always an ulterior motive to whatever action his sibling took. No matter what front the conqueror took he could not change his nature. The predator that lay beneath would always surface itself at one point or another, unable to keep at bay the blood lust that had been drilled into him years ago at bay. So why would his brother want to know about the locations in question, Kumogakure and Hoshigakure. It was obvious enough to Takeo, the man who had a hand in spurning the slumbering giant that was Kirigakure into action through a subtle urging the year previous.

He would humour him for now Takeo decided. Keep his brother's attention on the shiny object that lay within the distance. Point the weapon in a direction and follow the path of destruction that it brought about. Don the mask and control the force of nature that now stood to his side.

Takeo smiled, taking another bite out of the peach within his grasp. For a moment he stood and looked out toward the horizon. His mind delved to the land far away from here, the second home that he had created for himself within Hoshigakure. The inn in which he had spent all his time, the warm fire that blazed within the corner. The stable in which his companion, Pig, had stayed while he was away on business. Then the thoughts warped to the other person there, a flash of blonde hair before Takeo snapped back to reality with a darkened expression.

"Kumogakure is practically a fortress. Walls ladened with explosives, terrain which would be difficult for an army to pass through. Youka had certainly crafted the perfect place for a man of his tastes. My time in Kumogakure was not enough to get a taste of it's full capabilities or or the calibre of their shinobi." Takeo listed off, purposely moving his mind away from Hoshigakure for now. "Though if the man known as Maku still remains in Kumogakure, then it's safe to say that they would perhaps be a match for your forces." Takeo added after a moments pause to take another bite of the fruit. Cast a shadow of doubt upon the fragile ego and it will drive the man forward.

Again a long pause followed. The reluctance to talk about the other village making Takeo hesitate. "Hoshigakure..can hardly be called a shinobi village. A religious city within the sand, it's a site frequented by pilgrims, followers of many a faith. It lacked shinobi in number and ability, the citizens of the village are ruled by a monarchy." Takeo finished off the peach with a final bite, mulling over what else to say for a moment. "The general populace doesn't trust shinobi, it's a source of friction there. I didn't see any notable defences during my time there."

The man became silent once more, observing his brother from the corner of his vision. The reactions of the man who controlled the world's most powerful nation would tell all the story to Takeo that he needed to know. How would the leviathan that slumbered within the man who had been his twin respond?

While Takeo ushered his response to the man's question, Xyxers eyes stared out into the distance as if he was witnessing a vision unfold before him. The distant storm provided a constant conflict, one that seemed to reverberate within the very soul of the man. A permanent maelstrom that was offensive and yet defensive at the same time, providing safety with the danger it presented. The nuances of the contraption eluded Xyxer, yet Naoki vouched for its reliability when it came to not malfunctioning. If it were to suddenly close in, the losses would be magnificent... a lesson to learn from at the cost of life. Was this notion able to be replicated as a weapon? The thought lingered while Takeo talked about Kumogakure.

The village of rot proved to be largely uninterested, yet that wasn't a surprise when Youka had once been the leader of it. Takeo had not been in the village for too long and that was highlight enough on the state of affairs there, especially when coupled with his knowledge on the current leadership. Youka and Maku were unaccounted for, yet their presence bothered him none. The former had the audacity to prevent the execution of Denkiteki before his peers, and the latter was nothing more than a singing jester. Xyxer only had room in his heart for one of those.

With the next description came more emotion. More knowledge of the actual culture of the village, and it even lacked defenses. The only queer note was that Takeo did not appear much like a pilgrim to his brother. His lack of credit to their forces confused the man. How had they became a major village if they lacked shinobi? His only knowledge on that village stemmed from the heinous betrayal witnessed at the Kage Summit... out of fear of him. They were right to be scared if they knew what he desired.

Taking the final bite from his peach, he chewed on the sticky flesh, his eyes still stuck on the storm that raged. A village composed of religion seemed more entertaining than one of zombies, that much had to be noted. He was unable to deny that Takeo had acted as a vessel to transport Kirigakures forces, even if he did not know it. Where he had once walked, Kirigakure slowly conquered. He was almost an omen of the mist without even realising it. The frog to his scorpion, yet that story could only end in sorrow.

Discarding the remnants of the peach in a responsible, non-littering way, he briefly murmured, "I wonder if they worship my god." A small period of silence broke from him, finally pulling his eyes from the distance so that he could keep his cold eyes on Takeo, "Do you have connections within either of these villages? People that know and respect you?" There seemed to be an undertone behind his comments, yet it was difficult to perceive in the way he posed the question.

The murmured comment of his brother didn't go under the radar of Takeo. An odd thought to be had, Takeo was not aware of the religious faith of his twin to begin with. It was surprising, yet it may give more purpose to the actions that Takeo had deemed mad before. Or perhaps not. Yet another excuse that his brother wielded to try and justify the atrocities that he committed in the man's pursuit to gain..whatever it was. The end goal was not known to Takeo, which in itself was worrying to think about.

Still, there was a confidence in his own abilities to control the weapon that stood next to him that put at ease any sort of hesitations that would come to him. Instead Takeo merely responded to the other query that was presented to him with a casual ease. "I don't spend much time getting to know the locals." It was a reply that had little weight to it, a throw away line to apease the questioning and keep the subject from delving back to his experiences with those he had met. Particularly it stood as a barrier from the memories that would surface themselves should even the slightest of thoughts be granted to them.

"I met no one that would be worthy of my attention, they're dreary places brother. Perhaps even more so than this one." Yet he couldn't resist the jab back to his sibling. Such was the nature of their relationship, the thinly veiled insult toward the village that his brother held so dearly in his heart would serve as a way to disgruntle him more, and then point him toward where Takeo wished for him to go.

For a man who was destined for greatness, there was little that drew a sour taste in his mouth than sitting back as the puppeteer. Yet it was a means to an end. While the world had yet to acknowledge the equality between the pair, it would take little effort for him to cement himself on top of the world once more. "You're awful curious today brother, have something weighing on your mind?" The man asked after a moment, if only to keep the conversation from stopping at a dead end as was often the case between the pair.

Perhaps the greatest irony shared between the twins was their inability to recognise that's what they were. In some aspect, they both replicated the other yet failed to recognise the symbiosis between them. They held their cards to their own chest as if the other did not understand the tactic, despite the fact they were of the same womb. Ones greatness was matched by the other in a different field, yet both were extraordinary. Xyxer himself would even say he was a virtuoso of his craft. Yet, even the conqueror could see the fatal flaws that inhibited the two of them. They were not the golden children their parents had wished them to be. They were both monsters in the daylight. Sometimes, when the world was quiet and thoughts plagued his head, the leader wondered if his death had taken his humanity from him. He pondered whether he had been a monster all along, or if he had once had a shred of empathy within him. Of course, he already knew the answer, yet the thought was recurring none the less.

Takeo spoke a quip in regards to the village, labelling it dreary much like the others, yet perhaps with a case that wasn't quite as lethal. The corners of his lips were curled upwards ever so slightly, his response coming seconds later with a smile lingering in the words, "Everywhere is dreary once you leave the land of makebelieve. " The comment was almost offhanded, and given the silence that loomed afterwards it was clear that Xyxer initially had more to add onto this sentiment, yet the beast within him had developed a new, intriguing concept into his repertoire - Restraint.

What was weighing on Xyxers mind? In truth, he couldn't really tell his brother. A multitude of reasons swarmed his head, each presenting itself with some malformed notion that could be distorted into logic. A crusade to find Kenchi, yet he could not say that to his people, the cost would be too great and reward too little for them. A glorious wager of war to demonstrate the strength of Kirigakure and to carve out a legacy in the known world, and perhaps even discover more of the unknown. To test his own strength so that he could prove he was the greatest fighter to walk the desolate world. "My father and mother always taught me to remain curious. Back in Old Kirigakure before the incident claimed them." He rolled his tongue against the roof of his mouth before continuing on, "Besides, I feel as if I must visit my brothers of old in Kumogakure, and perhaps even... purify my soul in Hoshigakure alongside the other pilgrims." The teasing of a smile that had originally formed now bloomed into a grin, the idea of being cleansed humourous beyond belief. He'd unlocked the powers of a deity, he did not need to be absolved in the eyes of others.

The offhanded comment from his brother in response to him was met with a heavy silence. Takeo would wait for a follow up, as was common with his twin who often found himself going into speeches that were best reserved for their own memoirs. Yet nothing followed, the silence remained heavy until the conversation moved onward by his own accord soon after. The odd statement from his brother lingered on his thoughts for some time after. What meaning did the words hold? Was it a barbed insult toward him, the wanderer who Xyxer looked down upon as nothing but a drifter in his own world? Or perhaps it was aimed toward Xyxer himself, the madman who had long lost anything other than the lust for conquests. One could never tell with the formerly cyan haired man. Takeo had originally made a habit of spending time with Xyxer in Tengakure in order to try and learn and understand him. However the ravings of a lunatic had only served to distance that understanding. A barrier between them as tangible as the one which Takeo himself could physically create had formed between them, different from the rift between him and others yet still an obstacle that blocked any chance Takeo had of having someone he could feel a kinship with.

The conversation would roll on after the silence, Takeo continuing with his line of questioning as initially planned. Yet again his brother's barbed tongue tried to prod at his emotions. A casual mention of parents within Kirigakure, the father which had abandoned the rest of the flock in favour of running with the wolves. Takeo still did not know why he had done it though no longer did he care. Admittedly the question had kept him up at night during his youth. Time had passed and with it the bitterness faded. Then Xyxer made his presence known to him. The brother which he had considered lost, resurfaced in Tengakure after the village his father had heralded as superior had been utterly destroyed by unknown forces. Ironic as it was, more questions had surfaced themselves. Why had Xyxer been chosen? What had the man seen in the younger of the twins, practically identical when the fracture in the family had taken place. Takeo's superiority to his sibling was without question now. He was the strongest in the world, yet the world still favoured his brother. The golden child who could do no wrong, a man slain easily in combat yet brought back by the gods as it to play a cruel trick on Takeo himself.

The frown on his face evaporated away as quickly as it had appeared. A smile appearing in it's place as Xyxer once more continued with his archaic form of wit. "It would require you to have a soul to begin with brother." He replied, running a hand through his hair as the wind sought to disrupt it. "Of course there's no harm in trying, a pilgrimage is supposedly good for the mind, helps relieve the stresses of life, the burdens that come with it, all sorts of good stuff." The man ended with a slight shrug.

You're speaking nonsense again.

I am aware.

"Oh!" Takeo blinked, as an afterthought entered into his thoughts. "The food's nice in Hoshigakure, not sure about Kumogakure..I did have a sandwich once that was alright." The white haired man rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing as he seemingly tried to recall that exact sandwich. Perhaps unnecessary theatrics on his part, though even the most seemingly meaningless of actions to prevent suspicion as to motives were an aid to the cause.

The notion of taking a pilgrimage had initially been met with derisive amusement, yet the idea grew on the man like dirt on an orphan. He'd never undertaken a journey such as that before unless his once-frequent trips to Old Kirigakure counted. They had been nourishing for his soul, serving both as a reminder and a comforting symbol of what had to be done. Perhaps repeating said journey without the burden of conquest on his shoulders could prove quite beneficial. The weight of leadership hung heavy on the heads of many, most of those before him resigned from the tenure or found themselves dethroned in quick succession. Yet with Xyxer there was something more that kept him pushing through. A desire that many shared, yet he actively pursued by any means necessary. Empires could not be built through peace and diplomacy, not in this stage at least. Bodies had to be strewn to enable safe passage up towards the throne that saw over all. His rightful position.

Takeo spoke of the cuisines in those villages, or at least that's what Xyxer assumed. Food was of little importance to him at this point in time, so he paid little attention. A few moments elapsed between the two before Xyxer turned around, walking back towards the village to leave his brother in the sobering peace of the oceanside, "Jester'll report to you a mission that needs to be undertaken in the coming few days. Farewell." With those words, he left back towards the domain he ruled.

[Exit]

I'll tally the words another day.

The beast had been sated. The information that had been provided by Takeo had seemingly been enough to satisfy the curiosity of his brother. Takeo afforded a smile as his brother turned and began to walk off. Things had been set in motion. The parting words confirmed this to be but a business call. As ever his brother remained cold and distance a gimmick that had served him well in his lifetime and one he seemed destined to cling to until his demise.

Takeo spun around on the sand to face the departing man. The smirk on his face widened as he stooped downward in a bow. "I look forward to it lord Mizukage." He spoke out, voice dripping with sarcasm. His twin disappeared from view after ward and only then did Takeo move once more to face out toward the horizon. His expression turned solemn, and once more he began to move through the routine he had devised.

[Topic Closed]

2692 toward The Right making it 2692/6000