There is something uncanny about their trek. Even a civilian like her can process the discomforting anomalies. But Honoka is unsure. Logic speaks to her in a manner that is condescending of intuition. And though the element of instinct plays into biology – that is, prey sensing predator, she is certain there is more to her surroundings than what her innate tendency is detecting. It is the feeling of danger from something intangible.
"Excuse me, Shisui, but may I ask your thoughts on this place?" Honoka asks.
She gestures her arms wide as an indicator of their surroundings.
Shisui frowns.
"You sense it too, don't you?"
He halts and stares contemplatively across the vast expanse of mountainous scenery.
There is very little they can see beneath the darkened, stormy skies. Their earlier ordeal in Mid-West Town has held them back several hours. A narrow escape it was, and it may have proved impossible had it not been for Shisui's competent use of genjutsu.
"It's going to pour," Shisui averts to the skies, "I don't think it is safe to cross here. We'll have to take a detour through Cascades Mountain."
In response, Honoka extracts a map and torchlight from the sides of her bag.
"Shisui, taking the detour would mean we will add another six hours to our destination."
She glances apprehensively between him and the heavily annotated map in her hand.
"I don't think we have a choice. There is no way I am putting you in danger, especially when you are still recovering."
"I believe I can-"
"Sorry Honoka, but I won't be making any exceptions this time."
x
The unusual aura does not abate. And the further they venture into Cascades Mountain, the stronger the sensation.
Honoka does not feel well, and it has nothing to do with the physical ailments of her recent traumas. She attempts to quantify the feeling, and calculate the exact changes, but her mind cannot keep focus. The best she can surmise is the drainage of her life energy to approximately fifty-percent.
When she glances at Shisui, he too is looking abnormally frigid.
So they keep silent and navigate their way past the deafening quietude of a claustrophobic forest. Eventually, they reach a cul-de-sac where the uneven grounds morph into a steep incline.
Ahead, there is an oddly shaped cavern that protrudes from a mass of crumbling boulders and rotting vegetation. When they approach, Shisui stares speculatively into the abyss before motioning her to follow.
In through the cave, the unsettling aura escalates, and Honoka is withdrawing in fright. Shisui must have also sensed the unease because he suddenly steps back and aims a kunai in the far-left direction. There is a momentary silence, followed by a loud hissing like sound.
"What is that noise?"
Honoka's voice is small and wary.
"I don't know, but I think I've got it," Shisui answers uncertainly.
He takes a few tentative strides forward.
"Perhaps it is invisible, like chakra is," she says.
"If it is, I can't seem to see it with my Sharingan-"
He stops mid-sentence.
"May I ask if something is wrong?" Honoka inquires.
"Hold on, let me try something."
He is quiet for several seconds, then gestures her forwards before speaking in a low nonplus manner.
"Honoka, I can see them now. Stay close to me so you don't risk touching them."
When he faces her, she can just make out the unusual shape of his Sharingan, and the way it reflects eerily beneath the semi-darken cavern. She has seen it once before, and it is triggering a cascade of apprehensive feelings she does not wish to revisit. Lord Danzo's orders, the mission at Mid-West Town, Izumi's illness, Lord Danzo's orders, working alongside Shisui, the ordeal with Lord Mizuku, Lord Danzo's orders, her personal mission to counteract those newly spawned feelings for Shisui, Lord Danzo's orders.
"Honoka…Honoka!"
Again, his voice is like a searching light, and it breaks her from the intrusive trance.
"Shisui, may I ask what it is that you see?"
When she stands beside him, his arm reaches over and pulls her closer.
"Walk in sync with me. There are clusters of black spores everywhere, and I think it is doing things to us if we breathe them in."
She takes several awkward steps in an attempt to shadow his moves, but the uneven surface is what gets her stumbling.
"Honoka, watch your right!"
He takes hold of her shoulder and swerves her body to the left. And in that simultaneous moment, she briefly senses a tinge of perturbation that is disturbingly artificial.
"Did you feel that?" Shisui asks.
There is a look of edginess to his expression, as if he misjudged something and there are dire consequences.
"It was peculiar," Honoka answers.
"You touched a few spores," he briefly scans her shoulder, "can you step further in?"
He readjusts so she is standing closer to his front and half her side is pressed against his chest.
For several seconds, Honoka remains in bemusing silence. She does not immediately process Shisui's proximity, nor the surge of foreign emotions that spur from the depths of her core. It is the same alien-like sensation she gets in his presence, but there is now an additional layer of something she has never experienced before. Her mind scans for a plausible explanation, and of any credible evidence that can be attributed to this new feeling. But it is intuition that speaks of its origin, and it has everything to do with the contentious feelings she has for Shisui, and the desperate need to break from its hold. Honoka may not fully process such notion, but she is able to recognise its influence and the disruption it may bring to her personal mission.
For the next hour, they keep their minds focused. Shisui is remarkably patient and decidedly gentle in his hold of her. Yet considering the dangers that surrounds their propinquity, he seems rather unperturbed by Honoka's very laggard pacing.
But this is her security, and her safe space. Shisui provides untold comfort to her monotonously chaotic world, and in this very moment, she wishes to suspend the progression of time and space. Against his chest, she can hear the gentle beats of his heart and the way it syncs with the rhythm of her utopia. His intoxicating scent is what keeps her in that fantasy realm of eternal happiness, because to be this close to him would translate to being held by love and safety, is it not?
But social ineptness is what keeps her questioning. Ambivalence plays into her doubts, and a part of her is certain Shisui's actions are just the basis of his appointment as team captain. Perhaps she is hoping for something different? Regardless, there is still a personal mission to complete, and if such mission allows for those discomforting feelings to end, she will see it through.
x
"We should rest here for the night and continue at sunrise," Shisui says.
They enter a large hollow underground that, according to Shisui, is deprived of black spores.
"Shisui, we did make certain to Itachi and Izumi that we would return in under twenty-four hours. The detour will add on another six hours, and resting until tomorrow sunrise will add another..." Honoka pulls out a pocket watch from the depths of her bag, "...five hours. That is an additional eleven hours. I have accounted for two hours of contingency, one hour altogether to rest in between, one extra hour for the slower pace, twenty minutes to eat and ten minutes to pack up and go. That would equate to an additional fifteen hours and thirty minutes. Shisui, I am concern that it has taken us so long and I believe it is important we inform Itachi and Izumi of our belatedness. This may also affect our return to Konoha, depending on how soon we leave when we rendezvous with Itachi and Izumi. So it would also be of significance to inform the Third as well. May I ask your opinion on this?"
She speaks fast, and without an ounce of emotional input.
Shisui, who seems to only just process her exposition, is now gazing perplexedly at her very vacant expression.
"I…" he pauses, then stares speculatively at the ground before speaking, "just… leave it to me, and I'll sort it out. Please rest up."
x
She does not remember how long her visit to the unconscious world lasted, but as she rouses three hours after midnight, her mind struggles in its adjustment to reality. Adjacent, Shisui is dozing serenely by the makeshift fire. There is almost an incongruent look of guardedness across his features, and Honoka wonders whether he is fully asleep. Nevertheless, her obedience to orders is what pushes her forwards, yet it is her love for him that holds her in a tentative space. She spends several minutes surveying him and assimilating the sweet aura of his presence.
But eventually, the intrusive thoughts pervade and her subservient mind returns.
Lord Danzo's orders. His command is absolute. Redemption is what she needs - for Root and for Konoha.
She reaches for his hand and keeps watch for signs of movement. No response.
His skin is warm against the coolness of her own, and she so wishes to keep the contact between them. But she is afraid of the repercussions. Shisui has already made it clear of his intentions to sever their friendship contract, and anything associated with her. The only element that binds them at this stage is this mission. From experience, she is already impeding his boundaries, and it may not purely be Lord Danzo's orders that enables her actions, but of her incapacity to follow through with her personal mission.
Her mind keeps to Lord Danzo's instructions as a way to bypass the failure, and when she reaches for his face, she does not anticipate his sudden reaction.
Shisui is already gripping her wrist and halting her movement.
"What are you doing?" he asks softly.
His inscrutable watch may be Honoka's lack of emotional understanding, and her inability to comprehend complex emotions.
"You are mistaken, Shisui, it was not my intention to do anything."
She is not a good liar, and this is the first time she is placed in a situation where her deceptions skills are tested.
Shisui seems to read through her comment because he releases her and keeps a fair distance.
"Just so you know, Honoka, I do not trust you. I may be your captain and your safety may form part of my job requirement, but that does not mean I am complicit to any alternative agendas you may have."
There is an intense edge of rigidity to his tone, as if he is withholding a deluge of information that speaks from emotions.
"I do sincerely apologise for any questionable behaviour I may be exhibiting."
Out of vigilance, she keeps the sentence short.
"Has Danzo given you an order?"
"I do apologise again, Shisui, but I can neither confirm nor deny your question."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He is looking genuinely surprised.
At his comment, Honoka opens her mouth and displays the cursed seal that spans her tongue.
Shisui frowns.
"I see."
"Shisui, I do apologise again for any form of untrustworthiness," she stands and bends into a deep bow, "you have been very kind to me, even as a leader and therefore I would like to propose something that I believe may be of benefit to you."
At this point, Shisui is looking visibly uncomfortable.
"Honoka, it's fine. I'm open to listening so…so could you please raise your head?"
But Honoka does not heed. She keeps her head low and continues speaking in a remarkably vacant tone.
"Shisui, I would like to let you know that I have not forgotten about my personal mission. I understand that you have severed our friendship contract and therefore wish to remain on an acquaintance basis. I also spoke with you about the newly spawned feelings I have in your presence, and the importance of experimental data and hypothesis I am working on to counteract these feelings. Additionally, this mission meant we were forced to be in proximity of each other and thus there has been an impediment to the 'restricting time in your presence hypothesis.' I did not account for such contingency," she pauses, and when Shisui does not speak, she hastily continues, "as you have been so helpful and patient to me on this mission, I want to be able to return the favour. If I could find a way to quickly counteract those newly spawned feelings, then my impeding behaviour will disappear, and thus you will not feel so burdened. But Shisui, I may need your assistance with this if I am to fast track it."
She lifts her head and gazes steadily in his direction.
Shisui does not give any indicator of refutation, and when he keeps silent, Honoka takes it as a cue to continue.
"Shisui, this mission has shown me that…that it has been very difficult to detach myself from these foreign feelings. They have unfortunately intensified and therefore...I...I am struggling to quickly fulfil the personal mission. So in order to make progress, may I request that you treat me less kindly? I believe…I believe…your kindness and compassion towards me is contributing to the delay in counteracting these feelings. And I would very much like to make your world better as quickly as possible."
There is a queer silence that follows her long explanation. Shisui's expression is glazed, possibly fitted with a sheen of disconcertment Honoka cannot comprehend.
"I could suggest reducing your need to assist me...and...and utilising kind, considerate words. I know you must balance out your captain duty but if you could provide disciplinary action for errors that I make then-"
"I'm sorry, Honoka, but I cannot do that," Shisui interrupts.
He is watching her intently, perhaps in a manner that evokes unease.
"It is not in my nature to enact disciplinary measures. People learn and grow of their own accord. So in this situation, it is not appropriate for you to fast track your personal mission in the way that you proposed. I will take the consequences of any delays, so rest assured that I am very appreciative of your offer."