The Peak of Victory

Balerion flew through the air high above the Takoyaiba Mountain Range. The dragon began to descend as they reached their destination. Honiko had informed him of where they were going so he knew the precise point of the mountain where they'd stop. The one-eyed beast flew to one of the highest mountains in the range and remained stationary near a small outgrowth. The outgrowth took the form of a winding stone path, that only a select few had traveled. Even ninja were wary of going this far up in the mountains. Honiko stood and turned to her disciples.

"The planned jailbreak is close at hand...."

She trusted they knew what she was talking about. She had yet to formally commit the Society to assist in the prison escape attempt. The Blood Prison was notoriously secure and pulling a stunt like that would almost certainly put the organization under greater scrutiny. She could live with the greater scrutiny if it met advancing her Master's interests. However, she wasn't sure that freeing whatever hellion her mother had squeezed out as a result of inter-dimensional trysts fell under the category of "advancing her Master's interests". The rewards were rather interesting but not her primary concern. Merryweather had information that she needed. Worse yet, Merryweather knew that Honiko knew that she had information that she needed. The Sage was not in a position to refuse which meant the Society would be aiding in the operation despite the enormous risk it posed.

If she's willing to risk drawing my Master's ire by interfering with Earthly affairs to this extent then the bastardess she sired must be powerful....or it holds a power that cannot easily be replicated.

"We're going to aid in the operation. The three of us and the three of us alone. The rest of the Society will not be joining in."

Menza was off on some island doing god knows what. He had been given a mandate by her Sensei and so she would not trouble him. Shin was likely assisting the Cursed One and Nikuyo was in the Pits awaiting explicit orders from Yami. The other assets were performing various services and their tasks were either too sensitive for them to neglect or they were not strong enough to aid in the jailbreak. Nozomi had proved herself a capable and worthy leader, and what Raijin lacked in power, he made up for in loyalty and dedication. She was satisfied and confident in her decision. Between the three of them, they could probably complete the mission. The Warden, his allies, and any interlopers would die by their hands.

She turned to Raijin:

"Raijin, prepare yourself for battle. I will not permit you to embarrass Nozomi and I. Balerion will take you to a place of your choosing to train and arm yourself as necessary. Once you're done there, we will meet you at the rendezvous point. I've given Balerion the coordinates so you need not worry about how you'll get there. "

She then turned to Nozomi:

"Nozomi, follow me."

Honiko hopped off of Balerion and onto the stony path. The mountain air was cold and the wind blew with a strong howl. The Sage's hair fluttered in the breeze as she began trekking along the path. She didn't look back as she already expected Nozomi to be following her. As the two departed, Balerion would fly to a safe place for Raijin to train or equip himself.



Balerion Exit w/ Raijin in tow

Nozomi felt the first amount of excitement coarse through her since her fight with Shimiko. Honiko had confirmed that they were going to break into the Blood Prison and free her sister. She had been looking forward to something like this since the Crimintern Forum, something that had been on the back of her mind for quite some time now at this point. Honiko hadn't exactly committed to an answer until just now, so she hadn't been sure that they were going to do the mission for Merryweather.

She smiled a little as her master told Raijin that he wasn't allowed to embarass the two of them, something that she hadn't been expecting. That meant that he was on notice, and any further embarrassment would result in a cutting of ties. Judging by the Stray, and Balerion's state, that wasn't something that any member of the Society wanted.

Nozomi sat up and put away her journal, having finished her drawing for the moment. "Good, nothing quite like the anticipation of an impending fight that gets my blood pumping." Nozomi said, a grin on her face. She had managed to get a couple of decent fights while in Kumo, but there wasn't really a lot of people in that pool of contestants that would have given Nozomi even a slight challenge. She figured that the Blood Prison, housing some of the most dangerous criminals in the world, would have something worth her time.

Raijin and Balerion were then dismissed to go get Raijin some training, while Honiko opted to take Nozomi herself. At this point, Nozomi wasn't all that confused with the action, as she was often chosen to stay by Honiko'd side for meditation, prayer, or training, considering there were very few who could keep up with her in combat, and even fewer worthy of spending so much time with the lady.

She didn't fall behind, immediately doing as asked and leaving Balerion moments after Honiko had, maintaining a constant attention to her surroundings. Nozomi's guard was almost always up, as she wasn't one to be caught off guard by some sort of sneak attack. That would be a terrible way to get hurt or die after all.

The missing-nin didn't really mind the cold, as she had by this point grown used to most inconveniences of the flesh. Pain tolerance was incredibly high, her body more like iron than flesh anymore, although still soft to the touch. Heat and cold were of little consequence to her, and even major injuries could be pushed through without succumbing to shock. "What did you think of my fight with Shimiko Chinoike? You never said. She was... more difficult than I expected." Nozomi asked, having been wondering if Honiko was disappointed that Nozomi had been injured during the fight a few times.

There were some things that never changed. Nozomi was the finest disciple that Honiko could have asked for in many ways, but she recognized how the girl was so very different from what she was like when she was that age. Even after two years with the Society, she still hungered for battle in a way that would put even the most hardened warriors to shame. Nozomi wasn't a true believer in the cause like Raijin was. It had always been clear to Honiko that she fought for glory and love. Despite her quietness, the blonde was passionate, feisty, and filled with a burning desire to win. Honiko had been much more demure, spiritual, and religious. While she did enjoy a good fight, she primarily hungered for a celestial purpose. The differences in their approach did not lessen her fondness for Nozomi. To the contrary, it made her even more curious as to how her disciple would develop as time went on. As new foes presented themselves, as their organization faced new challenges, and as the jinchurikki herself matured, what path would she take? Honiko wanted to find out and the only way that she could do that was to give Nozomi the freedom and flexibility to chart her own course.

The Sage continued trudging upward when her thoughts were interrupted by Nozomi. She asked Honiko what she had thought of the match. Honiko did not even turn around to answer her disciple. Instead, she continued walking upwards, melting the snow with each step as they made their way up the narrow path. After a few paces, she finally gave a reply.

"To say you performed adequately would be an understatement. You exceeded my expectations. The breadth and depth of Shimiko's techniques are on par with some of the strongest members of our organization, myself included, and you handled her without losing control of Isobu."

Honiko was partially worried that during the match Nozomi would forget the reason why she was fighting. She had learned from her Master that a Bijuu's power could be tempting and that many fierce warriors had destroyed themselves by listening to the Tailed Beasts. Honiko knew that Nozomi's nonchalance was superficial to an extent. She knew that when sufficiently pushed, the girl's wrath was something to be feared. If Nozomi had allowed that wrath to get the better of her then it might have resulted in Isobu being freed. Thus, when Nozomi managed to enter into V1 whilst maintaining her sense of self, Honiko was more impressed in the girl's mental fortitude than her physical capability. Her combat prowess against Shimiko was admirable but her clear-headedness and strategic thinking in the heat of battle was what really stood out to the Sage. It was a quality that was possessed by true leaders.

Honiko stopped and turned to face her disciple.

"I expect the heretic won't rest until she has her revenge. She'll be a significant problem for the Society if she's allowed to live. The next time you cross paths with her, I want you to kill her on sight."

Honiko turned back around and continued walking up the mountain. The pair would be nearing the peak when they came across a narrow cave entrance. The interior of the mountain was just as cold as the outside but the faint sound of rushing water could be heard from within. Honiko walked into the cave, using her enhanced senses to navigate through the darkness. The sound of water grew more pronounced until they finally reached their destination. The interior of this section of the cave had been intentionally hallowed out. The water and rocks structured to form a pool with water being steadily supplied in the form of a stream. The area was circular, clearly the result of man-made engineering. Honiko walked along the perimeter of the room, tapping her finger on a series of small candles that were placed at regular intervals. Honiko used her Fire Release chakra to bring some light to the area and give Nozomi a full view of the room. Once she had finished lighting the room, she walked back over to the former Kiri-Nin. She faced the young girl, and noted her relative petiteness and innocent looking features. She wondered why Nikuyo had chosen such an unassuming young woman to bear what amounted to a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Honiko studied Nozomi with piercing crimson eyes. She said nothing and allowed the sound of trickling water to echo throughout the cave.

"Nozomi. You have been my disciple for two years. And for two years you've fought by my side and obeyed every order I've given you. Yet not once have you ever asked where I'm from, who I serve, and what I'm really after."

The statement was leading and partially rhetorical. It would not have been wise for Nozomi to have inquired about those things as she wouldn't have received an answer. Nevertheless, after two years Honiko had expected her to try. She didn't think Raijin would ever ask. She didn't think he was a coward per se, but he wasn't sure enough of himself to even think in those terms. Unlike Raijin though, Nozomi was a bit more confident in herself. Respectful and submissive to her lady's wishes but nonetheless certain of her standing within the organization. Thus, Honiko was sure that those thoughts had crossed Nozomi's mind. She therefore remained intrigued as to how not once the jinchurikki's curiosity had not gotten the better of her. Standing in this room alone and with the outside world forgotten, perhaps her disciple would take the chance to learn more about her.

The same surge of exhilaration rushed through Nozomi that she always got when she impressed Honiko. She enjoyed the feeling that her master was proud of her more than almost anything else. Something struck her as off though, when Honiko mentioned that Shimiko's own techniques par'ed hers. Nozomi had always been under the impression that Honiko still had a lot of untapped power that she was holding back, but if Shimiko was on the same level, then that meant that Nozomi was on equal footing with Honiko. While she had had that thought before, she had dismissed it as wishful thinking, hoping that she was able to stand evenly with her master.

Still, her next command more or less confirmed for Nozomi that Honiko was worried about the risk that Shimiko posed to their organization. If she had a kill on sight command, then that was that, Nozomi would without question. She hadn't done so previously because Honiko hadn't asked her to, so she had defaulted to keeping Shimiko alive for Ryuko. That said, she probably wouldn't see Shimiko again for quite some time, and by that time, she should have even more control over Isobu, which just meant Shimiko would stand even less of a chance. "Very well. On sight." She repeated, filing it away for later.

There was always that part of her that loved to fight, and Shimiko had been a worthy opponent. To get to fight her again, this time for keeps? The kunoichi couldn't wait for their glorious rematch. It wouldn't be with anyone else watching, but Nozomi didn't care about that. That fight would be for her and Shimiko. She shivered with anticipation at the thought of it.

Drawn in as she had been by the command, Nozomi had withdrawn into her headspace, zoning out as she often did when there were lulls in the conversation. Even after the time spent with Honiko, or maybe because of it, Nozomi was used to being quiet and only responding when she needed to. Her entire life had been that way, and she wasn't a good conversationalist when she ran out of words to speak. She liked to give input when it was necessary, but she didn't like how often people spoke just to hear themselves talk. That's something she liked about Honiko, the woman only said what she needed to say. Every word was important.

The silence as they walked through the peaks let Nozomi key in on their surroundings though, feeling and more importantly hearing the sounds of water and moisture in the air. This wasnt all that surprising, given their elevation, and the basic knowledge that most rivers and streams started at the tops of mountains, but Nozomi had a feeling by the way the sound reached her that it was inside a cave close by. It turns out that she wasn't wrong about that, and that it appeared that Honiko had been leading her there as well. They entered the cave, and Nozomi registered no real difference in temperature. It was cold, but not in a way that Nozomi was bothered by anymore.

She noticed that she could feel the minute shift in temperature when Honiko lit the candles and used her chakra to give more light in the cave, something she wasn't new to. The heat from the candles wasn't much, but it mixed with the cold air and shifted it ever so slightly. However, she was distinctly aware that she was alone with Honiko for the first time in a long time, probably forever, and the mood lighting of the cave in addition to her almost unnaturally heightened senses sent a shiver through Nozomi's body. They'd never really been alone, with someone always a few rooms away or close by. But with Raijin gone, and miles out from any nearby villages, and no other people nearby, Nozomi knew she was as alone with Honiko as she would ever be.

And then came her question. Unsure of what Honiko was asking, or even if she was asking something in the first place, Nozomi nodded, confused. "Of course I've wondered these things, but it isn't my place to ask you anything about them." she said, a bit uncertainly. "When I accepted your offer to join the Society and serve under you, it was because I had so much to learn from you. Certainly the strongest person I've met, with so many abilities at your disposal. I joined as your pupil, and I didn't want to jeopardize that. I wasn't here to study you, but to learn from you and serve loyally, which I could easily do by following your orders and learning how to best act by watching what you do or told me to do. But of course I wanted to know more about you. I've always... wanted."

Nozomi frowned, unsure how to phrase what she was thinking. If Honiko didn't say anything at that point, Nozomi would simply break off into silence for a little longer, giving it some more thought. She still wasn't quite sure that she had been supposed to say anything at that point, but it seemed to her that her statement had been slightly a question.

Honiko listened patiently as Nozomi made her thoughts on the subject known. It was rare that they ever had this sort of conversation. Normally, when Honiko made a statement or asked a question, it had to do with combat, strategy, or some other high-level purpose. She could count on one hand the times that personal affairs came up, and when it did, it was usually Honiko asking about Nozomi's background to get a more complete and accurate picture of her disciple for training purposes. She could understand why Nozomi was uncomfortable as this was a sudden and probably inconceivable flip of the script. For the first time, they were talking about Honiko's background.

Nozomi was everything Honiko had ever wanted in a student. The young woman was loyal and focused on obeying her every word. She thought so highly of Honiko's teachings that she wasn't willing to incur her wrath by asking personal questions. Honiko was grateful to have taught someone who valued the lessons more than the mystery behind the sensei who had taught them. She thought back to her interactions with her own Lord and remembered how she had felt much the same, although she had been far more impatient than Nozomi. The differences and similarities between them stuck out in her mind. With each passing day, she meditated more on how their paths ran parallel, intertwined, and how they might one day diverge. She couldn't remember the last time when she thought about a single individual as frequently as she did Nozomi.

Using her Mind's Eye she could detect that Nozomi wanted to say more but couldn't find the words to do it. She took a few steps forward while keeping her gaze on her disciple. The two were in such close proximity, they were practically touching. Honiko wasn't about to let her get away with complete silence. She had brought Nozomi to this cave for a reason. The Sage wanted the full truth from her disciple.

"You've always wanted what? Speak truthfully Nozomi."

Honiko knew that the girl's desires did not end with a mere wish for biographical information.

Nozomi stood her ground, although her breath caught a little bit as Honiko stepped in closer to her. It was something that Yomi used to do, and always made her heart flutter, although she was long over her by this point. And she'd thought that she was able to suppress any feelings or desires for Honiko, but yet here she was, still longing for her. In a way it was frustrating for her, since it was hard for her to deny that side of herself, as she really just craved affection. It had been something denied her most of her life, but she got it where she could. There was something intimate about being so close to someone. Besides that, she had a natural sense of self preservation. Her skills were impeccable, but letting someone that close left her very vulnerable. Despite that, it was somewhat comforting to her, to know she could trust someone to be that close and not worry.

"I guess, I mean, mmm..." Nozomi paused, taking a breath to calm her nerves a little bit. It wasn't like her to get frazzled, and it had been a while since she'd done that. Looking around the cave a little so she wasn't staring directly at Honiko, she was able to think a little bit about what she wanted to say.

"I think it's something that I've wanted since I met you. Obviously, the initial attraction was to your power, and the way you hold yourself and how confident you are. I liked that alot, and that's something that I had liked about Yomi at the time. She was my senior and superior by rank, but I was no doubt her equal at the time, if not better. I won every spar we had, and... I'm rambling, sorry, let me get back on track."

Nozomi took another breath. "I like power, it's an attraction to me. It's why I accepted your offer and joined you. I like power more than I liked Yomi, and she was my first crush. But it was more than that. I was so intrigued by you, this mysterious force of nature who made the Major Nation's best attempts look like little more than a training exercise put by Academy Students. Nobody knew anything about you, and I got personally offered to join you?" Nozomi laughed, a pure, light sound from her that very rarely came out.

"I would have been a fool to reject it. And obviously it paid off, I got very strong, and learned quite a bit about how to lead just from being around you. But that didn't really help me answer any of the questions. You were, are still as mysterious to me as you were, you still have that aura of power and command, and I love it, and I love you. I'm wholly devoted to you, mind, body, and soul. You made me who I am today, and gave me that sense of freedom and empowerment that I really always wanted."

She locked eyes with Honiko once again, feeling a little more capable now that she was opening up a bit.  "So it's only natural that I want to know more about you, to like actually know who you really are, what you really want. Because that's what I want, something I want to help. I can't imagine there's a goal out there that is out of your reach, but you don't have to go it alone, because I'm here. But I don't even really know what that goal is, so I'm just always at a loss. Watching you from the shadows or by your side, but never really feeling like I know if what I'm doing helps."

She slightly reached out a hand for Honiko's, a bit sub consciously, without thought. "I've been a bit selfish, thinking about making myself more powerful at any expense, but never asking how I can help you achieve what you want, but that's because when I'm with you, I just feel like I'm at peace with everything, and everything will be okay and turn out how it's supposed to. So I suppose, yes, I want to know everything about you, but I'm okay with not knowing, because it doesn't really matter to me. I... love you. And I'll follow you and the rest doesn't matter. I want to be yours."

Her heart was pounding in her chest, she could feel it racing, hear the pounding, feel the blood rush to her face as she spoke. It was annoying, but not something she had any control over, and the fact that she was blushing only made her feel more embarrassed. She was suddenly aware of a shift in the temperature for her body. Where she had recognized the cold of the cave before, she only felt heat now, and it took her a moment to realize that the cave was still cold, but that she was just so flushed that everything felt warm.

Honiko listened with a neutral expression as her disciple confessed her true feelings. Honiko had always known that Nozomi was attracted to her. The revelation that the girl craved power and was excited by it was not news either. However, there was something about hearing it for the first time by Nozomi's own voice that added a special meaning to it. At first, Nozomi looked away from her. She stumbled through her words and at one point even acknowledged she was rambling. Honiko had always thought little of the idea of "cuteness". It was a weak notion for immature and idyllic people. Yet when Nozomi stumbled through her speech searching for the right words to describe her feelings, Honiko could see how the word could have some useful application. Honiko could sense Nozomi's hand reach out and without breaking eye contact, she allowed the girl to take her hand. A sign of support and solidarity between them. She remained silent as Nozomi finished with a powerful statement.

"So I suppose, yes, I want to know everything about you, but I'm okay with not knowing, because it doesn't really matter to me. I... love you. And I'll follow you and the rest doesn't matter. I want to be yours."

Honiko had heard the words "I love you" before, but she had never taken them seriously. It had been uttered in both a familial and romantic context and both times she didn't believe the speaker meant it. And even if they had, she felt nothing for them in return. It just became one of the things that worldly people said to get what they want, and yet another thing for her to ignore. But there was something different about hearing those words from Nozomi. Not only did Honiko believe her disciple, but she felt something in return. It wasn't that she fully reciprocated Nozomi's attachment, but there was something there. Coming from anyone else in the world save her own master, she'd see no value in the statement. It was a piece of information about someone relating to herself that would be used to further her agenda. When Nozomi had confessed her love for her, Honiko felt that the sentiment was something to be cherished and protected. She didn't love Nozomi in the same way, but she felt a deep desire to protect the girl and validate her attraction. It wasn't just because Honiko felt that Nozomi deserved it as a reward for all her hard work and unquestioningly loyalty, it was also because Honiko cared about her disciple's wellbeing. She wouldn't use this confession to hurt Nozomi, but she would use it to strengthen the bond between them. If they were in sync, Honiko was certain there was nothing they couldn't accomplish.

"Nozomi...." Honiko started. "I...." for the first time since the two had known each other Honiko was at a loss for words. She had known this would happen at one point or another. She was already fairly confident of what she would say in response if it happened to come up earlier rather than later. She didn't expect Nozomi's words to have the impact that they were having. When it came to dealing with people and psychologies she had a habit of analyzing and planning before acting. Words were not quite weapons and they didn't always come to her as naturally as one might suspect. Luckily, what most people said to her was so dreadfully uninspired and unimportant that she had never felt unsure of what to say in response. Just by looking at someone she could tell what they were about and what they would likely say. It wasn't that way now and when faced with such a situation Honiko decided that much like combat, she would simply improvise and do what felt right in the moment.

Honiko would use her free hand to grip the back of Nozomi's neck and bring her closer. Honiko would kiss Nozomi with surprising gentleness. She was a born warrior but years of spirituality and a close connection with the natural world had taught her how to act with tenderness and care. Honiko's line of work had rarely required or even allowed for such a disposition, but right here and now, she was glad that she could handle another person gingerly. Honiko brought Nozomi closer so that their bodies were fully touching. Nozomi would be able to feel how warm her sensei was. The freezing temperature of the cave would be forgotten as their shared contact produced enough warmth to make the moment feel just right.

Honiko would break the kiss and step back a hair. The two were no longer touching but they were still very close. Unlike Nozomi, Honiko did not blush at any point during the interaction. She was much better at controlling her physical responses and emotions. It had always been a boon but for the first time in her life Honiko almost wished that she couldn't. It was rare but she had been caught off guard at times. Any expressions of that sort were almost invariably of shock or anger, never glee or excitement.

It must be nice to know you can invoke positive involuntary expressions just by being around someone...I hope Nozomi understands.

Honiko wasn't in the habit of faking her expressions though, especially not in a moment like this. So she decided to let her words paint a picture instead.

"Nozomi, you will always be mine. I knew from when I first saw you in the Valley that you would be my disciple. That you'd help me set this world on the right path. I prayed to Jashin that he would send me a loyal and fierce student, and he answered my prayers. I care for you in ways that even I myself don't fully understand yet. But I do know that I won't let anyone or anything come between us..."

Honiko's words contained a dual reference. The first to the Hakkin priestess that had pined for her disciple. The girl was underdeveloped in more ways than one and couldn't sate Nozomi's lust for power. Honiko was content to let the two interact because she was confident that there was nothing Ryuko could offer Nozomi long-term that would keep her by her side. The second was that insolent and once-proud dragon Balerion. He had tried to drive a wedge between them with the intention of putting pressure on her to allow him to choose the next Dragon Apprentice. The dragon's arrogance and yearning for importance had led him to spill the details of a private conversation between her and C. He had tried to make Nozomi feel like a second-rate disciple. An after-thought who was unworthy of her attention or respect. Honiko would not let that disrespect stand. She taught him a painful lesson and then made him thank her for allowing him to keep his discourteous tongue.

"I have something for you." she said. Honiko reached into a small pouch attached to her armour. She pulled out an elegant black necklace. The black chain-link piece was studded with bits of dragon-scale and the pendant was a polished black talon. The talon was ripped straight from the smallest digit of Balerion's hand. A permanent reminder to him and the dragons of what Nozomi meant to her. Honiko undid the clasp and leaned in to loop it around her student's neck before locking it back. Before leaning back, she briefly kissed Nozomi on the lips again.

"I want you to keep it as a reminder of what we are to each other. We don't need words. We don't need titles. No loud affectations or silent expectations. There is just us. And anyone who tries to take that away will pay for it in blood."

Honiko trusted that Nozomi would get her meaning. She would not take Nozomi on "dates" nor would she really entertain the idea of the two's outward relationship changing in any significant fashion. She was still Nozomi's Mistress, and Nozomi her follower. Honiko wasn't even sure she wanted to think of Nozomi as anything more than a student or lieutenant but for now, she'd keep the door open. She owed the girl that much. For all intents and purposes, Nozomi and Honiko would leave this cave and act like nothing ever happened. But that necklace would be proof that they had shared a part of themselves with each other in this cave. It would be a silent reminder to Nozomi that Honiko had found the one person she could truly trust. Her Master was her compass, but Nozomi would be her confidante. They'd pray together, strategize together, and if a passion struck them, they'd let Jashin's will take them where it would.

Honiko had grown up in a monastery and although she despised the monks that studied there, they had instilled with her a respect for order and discipline. Not long after, she had become a student of the natural world. She had mastered Sage Mode twice over and thus she became a follower of natural law. Love between two women was not something she saw as natural or in keeping with traditions of order. It hadn't been a point of antagonism but she had never liked the concept. But giving Nozomi what she wanted and deserved felt good even if she didn't per se reciprocate the jinchurikki's feelings. Menza, for as impudent and laic as he was, had always said Nature was just as much about anarchy as it was about order. She had dismissed him as a fool who had lost touch with his heritage, but for once she had to admit he may have a point. It wasn't something she had fully figured out but that was fine. Honiko would leave the philosophy aside and would just let this moment be as sacred and beautiful as it felt.

Nozomi's hands almost seemed to tingle as she grabbed Honiko's while she was talking. It was the first contact that she had really had with another person that wasn't strictly fighting, or had been somewhat initiated by someone else. She didn't often reach for or touch other people, especially in the context of intimacy. She finished off what she was saying, and there was a moment of silence. Nozomi started to get a little nervous again as she noticed that Honiko seemed almost.... surprised? She was at a loss for words at the very least.

Then, she heard her name and a small silence as Honiko was stumped for words. It wasn't something that the girl had ever expected to see. For once, Honiko wasn't quite so sure about something. Nozomi could tell it was a genuine moment as well, or at the very least, Honiko was the world's best actress and could fake genuine emotion to such a degree that Nozomi actually bought the surprise she gave. But she didn't think it was that. It seemed very genuine, and most faked emotions were done as a mockery or in a sarcastic manner followed by a cruel joke.

And then the world slowed down, in a similar manner as it had when she had been fighting Shimiko, although that was because their fighting was so intense that all Nozomi had been focused on was that singular moment of combat. This time, however, everything slowed down as Nozomi became unable to react to anything happening. Her heart skipped a beat, her breath caught in her throat, and she could barely even react to Honiko's hand as it placed itself gently on her neck. She didn't ever let anyone that close to her, as the neck was a fragile area of the body, but that wasn't even a thought in her mind. The gentle touch of Honiko's hand sent a jolt of sensation throughout Nozomi's body, causing a shiver of almost ecstasy through her.

Her body and Honiko's connected, and Nozomi couldn't help as everything in her entire being seemed to betray her. Her legs stopped working properly, getting weaker as if she was becoming a puddle, her mind blanked, all thought exiting her brain. She lost all sensation of touch except for where her body was pressed against Honiko, where Honiko's hand was, where Honiko's lips were. Nozomi more or less melted into the kiss, using Honiko as support for the duration because she wouldn't have been able to stand on her own at that moment. That had not been something she had expected, and she had been caught fully off guard.

And then, Nozomi let herself kiss back for a moment, pushing towards Honiko's lips in a desperate manner as she noticed that Honiko was about to pull away and step back. She didn't go too hard for it, nor step forward, but she wanted to prolong the contact for as long as possible, even if only a brief moment. She became suddenly aware of how bad at kissing she was, how it didn't come naturally to her, and how much Honiko probably hadn't even enjoyed it since Nozomi had never even kissed someone before. Several emotions flickered across her face. Pure bliss, absolute confusion, intense embarrassment, and more longing. Something else as well, a tingling warmth that spread around her thighs, followed by more understanding, and if it was possible, and even brighter shade of red on her face.

"Nozomi, you will always be mine." Thud "I care for you in ways that even I myself don't fully understand yet. But I do know that I won't let anyone or anything come between us..." Thud Her heart felt like it would explode. Nozomi had no words, barely understood the concept of speech at this moment, her eyes were still wide with shock. She simply followed Honiko's words and movements to the best of her ability, eyes tracing her hand to the pouch, where she withdrew a necklace. It was a gorgeous necklace, made with a Talon and several scales. "....for me." she repeated softly to herself.

Nozomi had never received a personal gift from someone, not like this. She couldn't help it, a small surge of heat and irritation at her eyes, and tears started to fall from her face. They weren't sad, of course, pure joy. This was a lot for her, something she'd never have anticipated. It took her a moment to realize what the talon and scales actually were, and the correlation between them and Balerion. Her eyes grew wider, and her mouth opened up into a little 'o' as Honiko began to put the necklace on her, and the second little kiss happened.

Another second of dumbfounded shock, and then Nozomi's face broke into the biggest grin. "I'm yours until I die. Nothing else matters." she said, so assured of this fact that if it was written in the books of fate and destiny otherwise, she knew that at that moment the pages were being rewritten and edited. She regained her bearings a little bit, aware once again that they were in a cave with a pool of water and candle lights around them. "Why here? What is this place? It's man made." she asked.

Honiko had expected Nozomi to be receptive to the kiss but she had underestimated how inexperienced the girl was. The contact caused Nozomi to lose the rigidness and alertness she had come to expect from her best disciple. The Sage held firm as always, taking the lead and supporting Nozomi's frame, but still permitting the girl to prolong the kiss. When they broke contact, Nozomi was blushing furiously and Honiko's Mind's Eye told her that the girl was on Cloud 9. She could tell with every word that she spoke that this moment meant everything to Nozomi. Honiko suspected that while the girl hungered for power, she also craved genuine affection. Like Honiko, she had buried that craving so as to become a more effective ninja but when she was given a taste of it, the feeling of fulfillment was overwhelming. Honiko speculated that all the techniques in the world could not surpass the joy that Nozomi felt at this moment. It only made her more confident that this was the right path for them to walk as Master and Disciple. Nozomi wholeheartedly agreed and outright stated that she would serve Honiko until she died with nothing else in mind. That was it. Their destinies were sealed together forever. Neither time nor space would threaten the bond between them.

Nozomi recovered from the shock of the moment enough to ask why she had brought them here. Honiko looked around the cave and remembered some of the memories she had in this place. Before answering the girl's question, she confirmed its artificial nature.  

"It is." She pointed to the small pool, in reality, a makeshift hot spring. "Especially that. Before I came to serve a higher purpose I was a mercenary. I might have been your age or close to it when I became fully involved with that lifestyle. My comrades and I had hideouts all over the world....usually in remote locations such as this. We utilized Doton and other techniques to help hollow out portions of this mountain and make it habitable. This area was for leisure.....and of course, the frolic commonly associated with criminal youth who live in the moment."

Honiko took Nozomi's hand once more and lead her closer to the pool. The serpentress traced the edges of the custom-made hot springs and as she did she released fire chakra into the stones to heat the pool. Normally, the pool was ice cold and if a normal person were to try to swim in it, they'd assuredly die from hypothermia. Fortunately, Honiko had always excelled at Fire Release and she knew just the right temperature to heat the hot springs. Not hot enough to hurt but hot enough too soothe and excite.

"There are happy memories here. I wanted to add to them."

Honiko began to remove her armour. She undid the clasps on her breastplate then the leg pieces. She wore a black tanktop underneath and a set of wrapped bandages around her breasts for support which she undid as well. Finally, she removed her underwear, then her headband and hair-pins. Her naturally long white hair fell past her shoulders and extended close to her hips. Honiko Yoshidara had an pristine body. It was the product of years of vigorous exercise, a lean diet, and precarious spiritual care. Honiko's unrivaled excellence in combat made her difficult to hit which in turn made scars and other forms of physical damage rare. The only significant blemish on her body being the burn scars around her eyes. Once upon a time, they were a source of embarrassment and shame, but now they were a proud mark of war and a defining trait of her countenance. Without even asking, she'd begin to help Nozomi out of her own clothes. She didn't bother asking her disciple if she wanted to go for a swim or even if she felt comfortable being so naked and vulnerable with another person. It wasn't because Honiko didn't respect her disciple, but rather because she felt they shared such a close connection that they could communicate with actions rather than just words. And right now, Honiko genuinely believed that once Honiko told Nozomi why they were here, the blonde would be okay with the two of them intimately sharing each other's company.

Once they were fully undressed, Honiko took Nozomi's hand once more and led her into the pool. The pool was about the size of a small hot spring and once she dipped her foot inside, it instantly heated to an optimal temperature via her latent Fire Release chakra. Honiko would help her disciple inside and once she did, she would feel the intense heat and steam rising from the pool. Honiko took Nozomi to the far edge of the pool. Once there, the Sage rested her back on the stone rim and invited Nozomi to join her. In her younger years and to this day, she believed it was the best spot in the pool. Small snowflakes tended to drift down from a small crevice above and it complimented the mood and sensation of the pool. She continued to hold Nozomi's hand even as she closed her eyes. She was enjoying the hot water and the company of her finest disciple. She had been the veteran of a hundred battles and it was so rare for her to be able to relax. The woman let out a soft sigh expressing both physical and spiritual contentment.

Nozomi could only imagine what Honiko meant by leisure and frolic of criminal youth. It was obvious to her that Honiko was referring to sexual things, and Nozomi's mind drifted, thinking about girls in the water doing.... Her face flushed red again. She'd been in a bath house before, in Kiri, but that was different. The men and women at the shared space had been more focused on relaxation than anything else, and Nozomi had been focused on trying to not ogle at Yomi. Apart from that though, she didn't really know how any of those activities were supposed to operate, beyond what was obvious. The experiences weren't any that she had, so her imagination was really allowed to go wild.

They shifted over towards the pool, which was now giving off much greater heat than it had been previously. Nozomi didn't need sensory to know that Honiko had channeled some chakra to the water to heat it up.

"There are happy memories here. I wanted to add to them."

Nozomi smiled at that last part, glad that she could participate in the addition of happy memories for Honiko. She wasn't really sure that Honiko actually had any moments of glee or happiness, but that at least confirmed that she had moments that she was happy, which was good. The woman was far too business. She needed to relax, and let herself be happy, and Nozomi wanted to be the reason for it. That in and of itself was enough to make her feel like she mattered, and was important.

She watched as Honiko began to strip down, more or less a deer stuck in the headlights for a moment or two as she stood there, but then Nozomi began to unclip her flak jacket and pouches, to start removing them. Nozomi was usually decked out in a lot of weaponry and battle gear, since as a missing-nin, she may need to fight at any moment of time. While this was good for times when she needed to fight, it was actually a chore to strip down from. Honiko was much faster at it than she was, and obviously a lot less nervous.

Nozomi's hands were shaking a little bit, finding it hard to actually get all her own stuff off as she was struggling, but Honiko began to help strip her down as well. She stepped out of her clothes, one by one, a little bit self conscious about what Honiko might think about her. Nozomi's eyes flitted across Honiko's pale body, noticing the flawless skin. She was more or less exactly as Nozomi had imagined she would be. Not that she spent a lot of time imagining Honiko naked. She was smooth, toned, and perfect. A blend of femininity and power that had Nozomi's autonomous responses going. She felt her nethers tingle once again, in an almost uncomfortable way. A powerful urge came over her, need for a touch below.

Nozomi's form was less pristine, but equally as toned. She had plenty of scars and marks, as she had trained most of her life. She had been in many different battles, and received her share of wounds over the years, but most of them were hardly visible. She didn't have any real large ones, as the ones that would have been permanent had been erased by Isobu as they were made. That said, they were faint, but noticeable if Honiko wanted to look close enough. She was also incredibly smooth, as part of her daily bathing routine was to remove all hair and exfoliate to keep dead skin off of her. Nozomi wasn't the most vain person, but she took good care of herself.

As they stepped into the water, Nozomi let out a little moan, the heat instantly relaxing her muscles, which she realized had been incredibly tensed up for quite some time. They moved to the far side of the pool and sat down, Nozomi letting herself sink a little into the water, content to just hold Honiko's hand and lean on her a little bit. She sank down until the water covered her mouth, leaving her nose out of the water, and let her muscles be soothed.

After a few moments, she couldn't really contain her energy, something rare for her, a usually patient girl, content to just exist near Honiko and medidate. She rose up out of the water a little, still sitting, but no longer submerging her mouth. Taking a look at Honiko, Nozomi's mouth moved into a smile, her eyes creasing a little as she was really enjoying this. Leaning into Honiko's shoulder a little, Nozomi's lips moved gently towards Honiko's neck, placing a soft kiss there for a second, before she shifted upwards, planting small gentle kisses every couple of centimeters up Honiko's neck, towards her ear lobe. If Honiko didn't pull away, Nozomi would bite it playfully, but gently as well, before stopping and resting her head on Honiko's shoulder.

Honiko could sense the desire emanating from her disciple. The young woman radiated lust and longing, with little restraint. Inwardly, she grinned knowing that Nozomi had bottled up those feelings for years. It was only natural that the kiss they had shared left Nozomi hungry for more. Despite her nervousness from earlier, Nozomi initiated some light foreplay once they entered the pool. Honiko didn't pull away from the blonde's affection, instead, she allowed a small grin to make its way across her face as Nozomi nibbled at her. It pleased her to keep her disciple passionate and excited. But for now, the poor girl would have to endure the ache between her legs. When Nozomi relaxed next to her and let her head rest on her shoulder, Honiko squeezed her disciple's hand and the grin became an unmistakable smile. The moment was beautiful, but Honiko's personality would not let her enjoy it for long. As a duty-bound woman, she was always seeking to honor her commitments. She had hinted at her story before and Nozomi had expressed interest in knowing more about her. She decided that now was the best time to reveal the true details of her past.

"I do not know where I was born...if it was here or elsewhere..." The "elsewhere" referring to the possibility that she was born off world. "All I know is that soon after, my mother gave me to a Fire Temple affiliated monastery. I was raised there to be an acolyte. In addition to their false religion, I was taught discipline, respect, and martial arts. I believe their intention was to turn me into a devout bodyguard for one of the higher ranking Monks or perhaps a protector of the monastery itself. I didn't know my true ancestry at the time, but in retrospect, I'm certain they thought that they could mold me into who they wanted. They wanted to pervert my true destiny and even as a child who knew precious little about the world, I rejected them. I knew I was destined for greater things, I just didn't know what. The monks grew more insistent, and each time I rebelled with greater vitriol. When it became clear that I would not adhere to their rules, they threw me out and I was forced to fend for myself."

It wasn't a painful thing for Honiko to discuss, but she wasn't used to talking about her own past. It felt strange, wrong almost. As if she was betraying some ancient secret that someone had entrusted to her. Honiko ignored the feeling and continued:

"At ten years old, I was better equipped to survive than most children. It was not an easy existence...but it felt better than being a servant to weaklings who read about the accomplishments of better warriors. I must have been around eight or nine at the time....it didn't take me long to find a group of like-minded youth. Everyone had a different story to tell, and many weren't even from Fire Country. The villages were not taking orphans or cast outs and even if they were, we didn't want to live under their rules. The Monastery had taught me the basics of hand to hand combat but they refused to teach me anything greater. I had to learn from criminal children who were almost always novices themselves. Fortunately, the way of the Sage is in my blood. It was an exciting time....sleeping under the stars....dreaming of becoming Lords or Ronin.....we thought we'd stay together as a group forever." Honiko sighed. "It was stupid. We didn't know better. Many of my friends died in combat, a few were imprisoned...the rest...." Honiko shook her head. She didn't know what happened to each one, because she had left the group once it was clear that she was far stronger than all of them combined. They were slowing her down. Not just in terms of combat, but ambition. They wanted to shake down small businesses and sell illicit liquor. She wanted to take out world leaders and knock over bank. Maybe there was one or two from the group that had made it to her level, but the vast majority were dead or living a life of servitude and mediocrity.

"I left them when it was clear that they couldn't fight alongside me competently. I wanted more out of life and they couldn't provide it. I learned more about the ninja craft and studied several disciplines at once. The hunger for power and meaning became insatiable. I worked as a mercenary while I studied....there was joy in it. A sense of pride, accomplishment, and camaraderie. I was effecting the world with my actions. It felt good to pay back those that had tried to stifle my growth and turn me into a meek slave. I often entertained the thought of returning to the Monastery just to have the pleasure of burning it down and killing them." Ironically, Honiko would later send Balerion to kill scores of monks at Raiun's Temple. She shrugged as if to indicate that she no longer cared about slaughtering the Fire Temple monks. "I never did do it. I knew it wouldn't really mean anything. Everything I did felt hollow and the destruction of that monastery wouldn't change that. It was like a voice was telling me that there was more to this world and my life as a warrior. I didn't know what or who was calling me, but I knew that I couldn't keep living and fighting as I had been. I quit the life on my 18th birthday and went off to find my true destiny."

Nozomi calmed herself down and let herself just rest on Honiko as the pale woman began to speak, opening up about her story. She felt the squeeze on her hand, which was nice, just an assurance that she was there, and that they were this close. The skin to skin contact in the hot water created the most relaxing environment that she'd ever had. It was the closest she had ever been to a person besides fighting. It was the most open she'd ever allowed herself to be too, as she always had some sort of guard up, some sort of focus on other things. Right now, she only wanted to capture this moment and stay there forever.

Nozomi didn't really know a lot about the various religions of the world, besides Jashinism, as that was the only one she had really been exposed to over the last 20 years of her life. She couldn't imagine what her reaction would have been if a Fire Disciple had tried to mold her into a zealot or something like that, but even Honiko couldn't get Nozomi to be a real worshiper of Jashin, so she doubted it would go much better if she were in the same situation. And given that she had been trained up and molded to be a weapon for Kirigakure, and how she had rebelled at the first opportunity she had, Nozomi could relate to Honiko's own rebelling from that life.

The way she talked about her group of runaways and miscreants and criminals made Nozomi feel a little bit of a pang for that as well. She had always dreamed as a young teenager of running away from her home and starting up a gang of her own, no longer under the rule or authority of anyone but herself. In a way, she had done so, but joining Honiko hadn't placed her at the top, she just finally got to choose who she wanted to be in charge of her. As Honiko's right hand, she wasn't subservient to anyone but her, so ultimately she was mostly free to do as she wished, but she never got to experience the small time crimes and stuff. It was beneath her now, of course.

"And here you are now, one of the most powerful people in the world, with a loyal Jinchuuriki by your side. The head of the world's most dangerous organization. You can have anything in the world that you want. You can do anything you want." Nozomi closed her eyes, head still resting on Honiko's shoulder. "Thank you for sharing that stuff with me."

She didn't really have as much of an eventful life, in all honesty, so there was little that she could offer in terms of a story on herself. "I wasn't ever anything more than a tool. I've always been a Jinchuuriki I guess, or at least I don't remember a time when I wasn't. I don't know when I got Isobu anyhow. He just spoke to me one day to warn me against fighting you, and I was dead set on it, so he gave me some power so I didn't die and so he could try and break out. First time was the same day I met you for the first time."

"Thank you for sharing that stuff with me."
"No need to thank me...you deserve to know"

Nozomi was right. Honiko had come a long way. She rarely reflected on her past as she often had her gaze fixed on the future. Honiko had more power at her fingertips than some villages. Yet, all she had was because of her Master. Everything she was and everything she would be was all thanks to his guidance and tutelage. She wanted to have that sort of influence on Nozomi and sharing the truth about herself was the first step of many. Honiko's Mind's Eye told her that the girl had resonated with her story. There were differences between them but she could tell that Nozomi had taken it to heart. Her disciple lamented that she had been nothing but a tool for most of her life. She hadn't even spoken to Isobu until that fateful day in the Valley. This was news to Honiko, and she took it as further proof of divine intervention. The beast had not stirred until the two of them had come into contact with one another. They were meant to be together and even the Bijuu inside her knew it.

"You are more than a mere tool. Kirigakure failed to see that and that's why in the end they'll always lose to us..."

Honiko could empathize with Nozomi. The girl didn't have much in the way of history because she was locked behind the walls of a village that refused to recognize her true worth and potential. Ironically, the man who made such decisions had long since joined the Society. Fortunately, Nikuyo spent most of his time in the pits these days. It seemed as though he was good for little else except fighting and ruining peoples lives. Honiko would have preferred to keep him out of the organization but alas, the Second Mizukage's recruitment was not her decision to make. He stayed far from her own disciples and that was all she could demand of him. Regardless, the time would come when he would need to answer to Nozomi. And if he couldn't put his prejudices aside, he'd kneel before her in pieces.

"Everything I've ever achieved is the result of my Sensei's teachings. I want you to meet him...sometime soon. Perhaps after we've freed Chiheisen from the Blood Prison"

Honiko spoke with an air of certainty. It wasn't from a place of arrogance but rather confidence. Nozomi and Raijin could do this. She had trained the two of them to be the best of the best. There were little to no shinobi that could stand against them in combat.

Nozomi knew that Honiko had someone above her, but she rarely ever spoke about him. In reality, the girl didn't know anything about Honiko's sensei other than that Honiko revered him. He had to be something special, or Honiko wouldn't think he was. After all, she was a Sage, and there was little that was greater or more superior than that. While Nozomi wouldn't mind meeting Honiko's sensei, she really didn't care about whether or not she got to. If she did, that was fine, and if she didn't, that was also fine.

"You're the only person who's respect I care about right now. But if you want me to meet your sensei, I'd be honored to do so."

Still resting on Honiko's shoulder, Nozomi kicked her feet in the water, a little bit playfully. She never really got many chances to relax in this sort of way, and wasn't really sure exactly what to do. Most of the time she was in water, it was during a fight or to bathe, but this was a nice little intimate moment to make a good memory. Honiko was opening up to Nozomi and revealing her past. It was all something new to her, but not in a bad way. Just unusual and completely alien to the Jinchuuriki.

Lifting off of Honiko's shoulder, Nozomi turned her head so she could see the sage. "So, what do we do after we free Chiheisen? We haven't really done much in terms of gathering new artifacts and techniques. We're, what, checking in on Akeno's takeover of Iwa, but then what?"

She frowned. It was very nice here, and the prospect of leaving this moment, even if not for a while, wasn't something she wanted. At least here, at this cave, there was no real worry about what they had to do next. It was just planning, but there wasn't anyone else around. Theoretically, nobody else existed in this world, just the two of them. 'Or we could just stay here, in this cave forever.' she thought. It was wishful thinking of course, but she couldn't help the thought.

Honiko didn't take offense to her disciple's words. She never got the impression that Nozomi was terribly interested in the identity of the person that truly ran the Enlightened Societ of Rebirth and Reordering. The girl was content to serve by her side and the background details mattered little. Of course, now that Nozomi's role in the organization was expanding that meant whether she particularly cared to or not, she'd need to be looped in with the man behind the curtain. Honiko felt certain that at a minimum she could trust her disciple to respect and honor the man.

As they relaxed in the pool, Honiko noticed Nozomi kicking in the water. She was getting a bit antsy and when she turned to face Honiko, the Sage already knew that business was on her lips before she spoke a word. The blonde desperately wanted to stay with Honiko yet she was already thinking about their future plans. It was an endearing similarity between the two of them. It wasn't easy for born-warriors to waste time relaxing, no matter how much they wanted to.

"Techniques and artifacts of that caliber require patience and diligence. The more you have, the harder it is to acquire more." Honiko was referring to an immutable law of their universe. Some say it was the Sage of Six Path's final blessing (or curse, depending on who you were) on his people. It appeared that as one gained power, the universe contorted so as to make it difficult to obtain more. There were few ways beyond that restriction and it was a problem that even her Sensei had wrestled with, as strong as he was. It was this problem that had forced him to seek out worthy allies that could help him accumulate what he himself could not have. Unfortunately, reality was not so easily manipulated. Honiko would have to do things she never thought possible if she wanted to realize her master's dream.

"After Chiheisen is free, we will surmise Akeno's progress in liberating Iwagakure. Once that is complete, there are other matters for us to attend to. The accumulation of power is a slow and delicate process. We must be willing to do anything and go anywhere in order to see this through"

Honiko reached out and put a hand on Nozomi's cheek. She stroked it affectionately with a wet thumb as she gazed into her disciple's eyes. She gave her a genuine smile before gently tugging her back towards her body. She had grown accustomed to Nozomi resting on her and at this moment she wanted nothing more.

"Relax little dragon, we'll worry about our duties soon. For now...let's just enjoy our time together."

Once Nozomi had returned to where she belonged, with their two forms pressed against each other underneath the hot water, Honiko would begin to hum a tune. It was from a song she had learned in the monastery from one of the few monks she had liked, or at least not hated. She had forgotten the words but the tune never left her. It was less for her and more for Nozomi. She remembered when she was younger it had helped calm her spirits whenever she felt anxious or troubled. She hoped it would have the same effect on her own acolyte.

Honiko explained that it was difficult to acquire techniques and power the more that was gained, which Nozomi wasn't quite sure about. It seemed counter intuitive, as the more that power was amassed, she'd have thought it would be easier to use that power to gain access to more and more. But she wasn't the once experienced with such stuff, so she deferred to Honiko's wisdom on the matter.

She had to admit, only having Isobu was probably a bit of a blessing to her. Training her Jinchuuriki powers was difficult enough, and took away from the time that she had had to train herself in her base, so having something else to train probably would have split her attention to her power even more. Perhaps that is what Honiko meant. Perhaps not, but one day she would see for herself.

As she had thought, they were going to check in on Akeno at Iwagakure, and then they could get back to business. Nozomi was 100% down with going anywhere and doing almost anything, so with that response, she was reassured that there was a plan at the very least.

Nozomi's skin tingled at the touch of Honiko's wet thumb on her cheek. It wasn't really an easy thing for Nozomi to do, just shutting off her combat senses and relaxing. She'd been on constant guard for several years, to the point that it was habitual for her, and hadn't given much time for simply being. That version of her that had been able to do that hadn't existed since her days in Kirigakure. She rested her head on Honiko's shoulder again as she was pulled back over to her.

Then her sensei began to hum a tune that was unfamiliar to Nozomi. She listened attentively, finding that her body began to feel lighter, and she was breathing along with the humming. It helped her quite a bit to relax, giving her something to focus on so that she wasn't just thinking in silence.

The two would enjoy the pool for a little while longer. An eternity seemed to pass as they lay beside each other. Unfortunately, their warm embrace could not last forever. Perhaps an hour or two or even more had passed since Honiko had finished her tune, it was difficult to say for sure. The Sage had a keen sense of time and she often knew when to depart so as to ensure a punctual arrival. That being said, she also knew that Merryweather was a petty woman and that arriving early would be taken as a sign of weakness. This gave them a bit more leeway in how long they could spend in the pool. Honiko milked every last second before she finally stirred.

The woman slowly rose from their corner and took Nozomi's hand. She would walk across the pool and toss a leg over the stony surface of the pool's edge. She'd then help Nozomi also out of the pool.

Honiko turned to her disciple.

"Its time for us to go....." The Himitsu had probably already come to that conclusion, but vocalizing it would dispense any lingering doubt that they'd be shirking their responsibilities.

"There is more we can learn about each other, but like all things that will take time and in the present era time isn't quite on our side"

Honiko would lean in to kiss Nozomi on the lips once more. As their lips touched, the Sage would then use her Fire Release chakra to dry them off. It required perfect chakra control but to an experienced fighter such as herself it was merely child's play. The water droplets on their face and neck evaporated, producing a small patch of steam. It was almost like a real-world manifestation of the desire and passion between them. Honiko would then break the kiss and then pepper the nape of Nozomi's neck with more kisses before lowering herself further. With each kiss, she applied a modicum of concentrated Katon. Enough to warm and dry her disciple without so much as leaving a mark. Honiko's lips continued making contact with Nozomi's body at regular intervals, she made her way down to her breasts, stomach, and hips before planting a final kiss on the blonde's sex. The whole time Honiko firmly gripped Nozomi's backside, occasionally sliding them down the girl's body as she progressed. Honiko's thumbs grazed her student's inner thighs as the last few drops of water were dried from every inch of her body.

Honiko looked into her disciple's eyes from her crouched position.

"One day though...we'll have all the time in the world."

Without breaking eye contact, Honiko planted another kiss on her kunoichi's most sensitive spot. She then rose from her position and began to get dressed. Nozomi (likely to her chargin) should take this as her cue to also get dressed. Once Honiko finished dressing herself and donning her armour, she'd leave the cave and walk outside. She would then patiently wait for Nozomi to join her at the cliff's edge. The pale woman took one more glance back at the cave before biting her thumb and slamming her palm into the ground. A poof of smoke erupted and in front of them would sit Thorn the Dragon. The dragon was fairly smaller than Balerion but large enough for two people to ride.

Honiko stepped onto the beast's back and took a seat. After Nozomi had joined her, she would whisper the coordinates into the dragon's ear and the beast would take off. A flurry of mountain snow would swirl into the air as they took flight leaving the secret spring behind. The Sage's expression was neutral, she had entered a calm state of Zen in preparation for the upcoming fight. However, despite her outward demeanor she had a warm glow inside her. A new set of memories to look back on. She allowed herself a small smile before returning her mind to the fight ahead.

Exit

An hour or so passed, a decent amount of time to just enjoy being in Honiko's presence in silence. However, as comfortable as she may have been, she knew it couldn't last forever. Feeling Honiko start to move more than just simply breathing, Nozomi's heart started to drop. 'No no no no no no...' She grabbed at Honiko's arm to try and hold her in place, but part of her knew it had to end, that they couldn't just stay here forever.

Honiko led Nozomi over to the edge of the pool that they'd entered from, with Nozomi only begrudgingly going on with her. Exiting the pool with some help, even though she didn't need it, Nozomi stood up, dripping water off her body. Honiko kissed Nozomi once more after a few words about time. However, this was a little different. It was hot, almost uncomfortably so, but not quite, and yet soft and caring.

The hissing steam that came off of them was interesting, as the two began to dry off from the heat that Honiko was emitting. Then the kissing bagan to move around her, on the neck, down the front, peppering Nozomi with kisses, and she giggled as the dopamine rushed through her head, endorpins pumping and raising up her mood. Honiko's hands had hooked behind Nozomi's back, on her butt, and the path of the kisses led to her breasts, eliciting a tiny gasp from Nozomi, but Honiko kept moving.

Down, down, down she went, drying Nozomi off as she did so. She planted a kiss on her nethers, a jolt of feeling bursting through her body as the sensitivity on her body seemed to have been turned up to high. She told Nozomi that they'd have all the time together in the world one day, before kissing her lower lips again. With that, she arose, starting to dress herself, apparently content to leave Nozomi teased in such a manner. Nozomi didn't move for a few seconds, letting herself calm down back to normal again.

Nozomi hesitantly began to get dressed, now completely dried by the trail of fiery kisses. She was a bit slower than usual, eeking out the last few seconds here while she still could. Looking back to the water, Nozomi felt the necklace she had been given, and sighed. Steeling up her nerves to get ready to leave, Nozomi turned towards the exit of the cave and moved forward, ready to get on with their prison break. The memories of the cave would be with her forever.

Jumping onto Thorn, Nozomi smiled at Honiko and laid down on the back of the dragon. Closing her eyes, she imagined she was still back in the cave....

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exit