Running up that hill [Flashback]

The sea, that is where he had been requested to travel too. Honestly it was quite a pain going all the way there. But Takeo had gotten used to the strange way that Xyxer worked. That is why he was currently located on a wooden craft, a boat to those who didn't know, in the middle of the ocean. Takeo had taken what Xyxer had said quite literally. The boy had a fondness for water, thus it was best to assume that he would be swimming around. The white eye that gave him perfect clarity was doing a magnificent job, allowing him to relax without worry as he awaited the boy's arrival. What was the reason for wanting to meet on the sea anyway? He wasn't quite sure, it would likely be revealed with time. Then again, when Xyxer and Takeo were involved one could never be one hundred percent certain as to what the fuck was going on.

Yoho, fiddledede, a pirate's life is something many strive for, and currently, Xyxer was living the dream! The only catch was that his crew were all mutes and most likely silently plotting to have him killed, wait, no, they couldn't plot.. they were also illiterate! How helpful. Sailing across the seas, he soon came across a chakra that was close to Takeo's on his way home. So, simply navigating to that boat, the ship would move towards his puny boat with it's ram first, not stopping and simply ploughing through the simple craft, he hoped Takeo was swift enough to either walk on the water or hop aboard his own ship. "Ahoy, ye' scurvy dog."

The approach was spotted through his ever watchful gaze. Takeo stood, watching as the ship Xyxer was on made a bee-line towards his smaller vessel. He let out a sigh, pressing the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I rented this you bastard." Takeo muttered to himself, jumping upwards onto the figurehead. The sound of his feet touching down was drowned out by the loud cracking sound as the boat crushed the smaller vessel, sending it to the depths of the ocean. Another hop up and he landed on the deck of the vessel. He took the time to examine the crew with a frown. He gave a slight wave to the boy next to him, who seemed to be fully in the pirate persona. "Where did you kidnap these guys from?" He questioned, lazily motioning with his hand towards the crew of mutes going about their business.

Xyxer, amidst his singing of the aforementioned song in order to drill motivation into his mutes that had been rowing and going about their business for days now, turned to see that the man, in fact, was Takeo. It was a shame that he was so poor that he had to rent a boat, wait, that doesn't make sense.. It was a shame that he was so polite that he had to rent a boat! Hijacking and being a pirate was a cool thing, he'd show him some time. Stopping his singing momentarily, he waved his hand lazily towards the side, "They were near the borders of the sea, if I recall correctly they seemed to be smuggling, so they already have the insider knowledge we can only dream of, Takeo! Why're you so far out in the sea anyway?"

Takeo listened to the explanation, giving the boy a look that could best be described as 'too used to your shit to give a damn any more'. "You mentioned meeting at the sea. So I decided to go on a fishing trip while waiting. Oh I lost that boy by the way, I don't think he took kindly to my threat of cutting out his tongue." He said with a shrug. Leaning back onto the railing that went around the ship, it probably had some fancy name but Takeo didn't know or care what it was. "I didn't see any stragglers on my way over, looks like the majority of refugees have made it to Shimagakure." He decided to inform Xyxer, Takeo assumed the boy wouldn't be aware of such trivial things. After all, he was far too busy pretending to be a pirate. "So then, what's the plan Captain?"

Xyxer nodded his head to what was being said, but, he felt a bit of sorrow inside when he realised that he had seen Hysterio at Kumogakure with somebody completely different to Takeo, it was a weird exchange but he'd have Hysterio bring his compadre to Shimagakure if he survived. However, there was something to be done on their way to Shimagakure, "These ANBU have been in the rotation for a long time now, Takeo. A few Tenkages at least. Given that this is the start of a new era, and the rebirth of a brutal village, it's time we test our people. Do you have a plan for such things?"

Takeo folded his arms across his chest, his gaze turning to the floor as he began to think things over. "A test? Well, the simplest would be to just attack them. Though in order to test them you'd need to go all out, in which case they might die." Takeo gave another shrug, his mind drawing a blank when it came to ideas for tests. "A simple task would do I suppose, a competency test would be simple enough. For instance, catching a thief. Any shinobi should be able to do that. Scale the thief's abilities up tenfold, and then you have a suitable test for an Anbu."

It was understandable what Takeo was saying, after all, if he was an ANBU he could coordinate himself properly, and perhaps, if he did well in this task, he would be granted a rank more befitting his skill level, if not.. Perhaps worse things would happen for the poor man. Xyxer had been becoming quite infatuated with his experimenting as of late, perhaps he'd fall into that category, most unfortunately for him. Nodding his head, it seemed there would be a mutual understand between the two, "You may keep 20,000, as that was the sum of Tengakure's funds near enough. I may be cruel, but I am just in some cases."

Takeo gave a small nod. "20000, a suitable price for the simple job of destroying Tengakure." He pushed off from the railing, his arms dropping to his sides as he jumped backwards to stand on the railing. "I'll be off then, see you in a bit." He gave a slight wave, stepping backwards to drop onto the water. "You owe me a boat by the way!" Takeo called out to the boy before walking across the water, destination Shimagakure.

[Exit]

Before Takeo left, he'd call out to him, "Meet me upon the island with the statues of old! We'll test them well." It soon dawned upon Xyxer what would be happening, but he was amidst singing so he would have to finish this first. Doing his song, he'd then instruct his crew to wait for him at the port of Shimagakure, and of course, they would do it, as they had no other coordination and would otherwise become lost and unable to ask for help. Jumping from the boat, he'd run towards Shimagakure himself.

[Exit]