Momoshiki blinked open his eye to the blinding sun. Birds chirped all around him, and a cool breeze passed over his face. But his arms were bound. "Foolish boy... What have you done this time?"

There's no one to free you out here. You're trapped, Momoshiki.

"Hmm," he mused, tugging at the secured rope that pinned his torso to the tree. "I see... Quite the job you've done."

The ropes wouldn't come apart despite his persistent tugging. But Momoshiki figured Boruto wouldn't leave himself here forever. There had to be someone close by to undo the ropes. Someone who tied him up in the first place… And to his delight, the sound of heavy boots crunching leaves underfoot entered his ears.

"But it seems as though your out of luck… I might have a savior after all."

There shouldn't be… How?

A grin widened across Momoshiki's face at Boruto's displeasure. The more he despaired, the sooner the vessel would be complete. And then all he needed to do to gain control over the boy's body was steal his willpower and his soul…

It seemed as though the time was rapidly approaching. The more he hurt the girl, the more Boruto despaired. And he wished for death because of it. But kill the girl, and it was all over… The balance would be destroyed.

Unfortunately, she was already in a severely weakened state. All of his ideas would likely put her to death. He needed something else… But securing his freedom was his first priority.

When the footsteps drew close enough that he was finally spotted, a voice called out, "what the- Lefou! Hand me my rifle!"

It was Kawaki.

"We found him!" Metal shouted. "We found the beast!"

"Fellows, fellows," said Momoshiki, turning his head towards the unlikely pair. "I am no beast. Tell me, what rumors have you heard?"

Kawaki glared at him, readying his rifle. "Seems like you've got my woman," said Kawaki, putting one muscular leg up against the tree. "You've got her trapped in a castle... But why are you out here?"

Boruto's inner heart lurched a surprising amount. But Momoshiki easily suppressed the faint flicker of emotion.

He's… After Sarada… Like that? Again?

"Hah," said Momoshiki, laughing at both Boruto's jealousy and Kawaki's accusation. If he was going to be free, he had to pretend like he wasn't torturing her for fun. "Surely you jest. I have done no such thing. If she is yours, I will happily give her back. But no one can get into the castle without my permission."

"Then how did her old man get in yesterday?"

Old-man Sasuke… He was there?

Momoshiki noticed, but for some odd reason, he couldn't prickle Boruto's consciousness at all while he was in control. Perhaps it was to give Boruto more of a fair chance to grow closer to the girl… And because there were people that knew their location, he decided today was the last day to try and steal Boruto's body for good.

"I just so happened to be by the entrance and stopped my guards from chasing after him." Another excuse, but the human would buy it. "He did nothing but sputter and point, staring at me with a horrid look on his face."

"What's this about you choking her?" Kawaki asked, cocking his loaded gun.

"He must have been confused. I was merely instructing her on the proper way to tie a napkin around her neck."

"Sounds fishy, but you still didn't answer..." Kawaki pressed the barrel to his head, but Momoshiki still didn't flinch. "Now respond. Why are you tied up?"

"Hm. It seems as though I sleepwalked out here in the middle of the night. Quite a bad habit of mine... If you'd be willing to untie me, I'd happily take you to the castle, call off the onslaught of guards, and return her to you."

Pointless excuses seemed to work on humans, no matter who they were.

The barrel of the gun lowered slowly. Kawaki took a step towards him. "...I'll untie you, but any funny business, and I'll shoot a hole right through your head." He entrusted Metal with his gun, knelt down, and worked at the ropes on his wrists.

Once he was free, Momoshiki took the time to yawn and stretch.

"Take me to her."

He smiled. "But of course."

In one swift movement, he disarmed Kawaki and slammed his head into the tree, knocking him out along with one of his teeth. Metal was so stunned that a simple chop to the back of the neck crumpled him to his knees.

"Hm. Well. That was easy," said Momoshiki, shaking his wrist loose. "I suppose I'll make my way back to the castle now."

Boruto cursed. He screamed inside Momoshiki, attempting to claw out his own innards. But Momoshiki only continued striding forward. Ignoring him was child's play at this point. All that was left to find a torture method that would be effective enough to put Boruto out for good.

"I've already branded her with my mark... What else should I do?" He thought aloud, hoping Boruto would give him a new idea. But then he thought of one all on his own. "Oh! I know!"

The sides of his face widened into a grin that stretched his cheeks tight.

"You decided to put on quite the sickening display of affection last night... Perhaps I should make it so she never wants to touch you again."

You wouldn't...

"I've been alive for too many years to count... Something like that is mere child's play." This would work. This would work well. "But it leaves just as much of a traumatic impact as torture does, does it not?"

Anxiety spread through his chest, numbing it as he went. But Momoshiki suppressed it again with his own laughter. Boruto was raging. Livid. Desperate.

No! Turn around. Kawaki! Shoot me! Wake up! Please!

But Momoshiki only cackled. This was perfect. Not only would it split them up… It wouldn't cause her enough pain to kick the bucket. And it would make him feel like trash. And best of all… She probably wouldn't want him anymore. It would be just enough to push him over the edge.

There was always the danger of him trying to put an end to his own life, but his little clock friend would put a stop to that.

"Heh. Looks like this will be more effective than I thought..."

NO! Boruto screamed, pounding on the walls of his consciousness. Someone... Anyone... Please... Kill me...

. . .

Sarada opened her eyes to purple curtains draped over her head. She grunted as she rolled over, only to find her body supported by a soft cushiony surface. I'm... in bed again?

Her eyes drifted up as the door squeaked open. ...Boruto? But, it's light outside...

She scrambled to her feet and grabbed the most nearby object, a pillow, to defend herself, ignoring the fire spreading up her body and the black dots speckling her vision.

Borushiki only continued walking closer, but there was something odd about his demeanor. His gaze softened as he looked up, staring at her without moving.

"...Boruto?"

He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. But there was something off about his hug. He wasn't... gentle. He wasn't minding her injuries. He didn't ask for consent.

Sarada began to tense.

"Sarada," whispered the sickening voice that haunted her nightmares. "Please... Hold me back..."

This wasn't Boruto. It was... him.

She tried to push him back with her good arm, but all she could do was squirm in his steady grasp. His grip tightened around her ribcage, forcing her breaths to shorten as her heart raced faster and faster. "Please Sarada," he whispered in her ear, his voice still soft, but clearly not Boruto's. "I love you."

No, thought Sarada, her bare feet digging into the wooden floor in attempt to push herself out of his grasp. Anything but this... Anything but this!

"Why are you fighting me," said Borushiki, one hand trailing down her waist. "Don't you love me?"

Sarada squirmed as his fingers carefully traced circles against her side, the other hand pinning her good arm down. Her throat tightened, dread running like spiked blood through her veins.

"I know you do..."

She tried picking up her legs to use her body weight as an anchor and pull her out of his grasp. But instead, of falling, she felt his grip tighten. The hand that had been at her side slid down and across her lower back, sending chills throughout her body.

"No," she whimpered as he leaned her back. "Stop!" Everything was shaking. She tried kicking him with her free leg, but it was no use.

"Or at least, you love the owner of this body."

Her waist was pinned to the bed, her legs locked by his. She screamed in pain as her dislocated shoulder was forced above her head. Both wrists were held captive with just one of his hands. She was overwhelmed by his strength, her vision speckled black from pain. She was too injured… Too weak to fight. There was nothing she could do.

"Boruto…"

As his hand came up to the zipper on Boruto's jacket, she felt him tense. The purple eye began to close as the blue one struggled to open. "Sa... ra... da..."

"Boruto!" Relief flooded her insides. Tears slipped over the edges of her eyes.

"Sarada," he said again, flecks of blue struggling to peek through closed eyelashes as he concentrated on staying in control. "Run... Find a weapon, and kill me..."

She shook her head. Twice. Three times. "I can't kill you..."

"Please," he begged, his hands trembling as they held her wrists, "While I... have... control..."

Sarada paused. She closed her eyes. She knew, even if she had a weapon... Even if she harmed him... It wouldn't stop Momoshiki from taking over and torturing her. It would only hurt him. And then they would both be in pain.

Doing her best, she put on a smile.

"Boruto," she said, freeing her good hand and gently cupping the side of his face. "I thought I told you..."

His face contorted.

"I can't kill you," she said, tears leaking out of her eyes as her lip quivered. "I don't want you to kill yourself... I'll be..." She swallowed back her torrent of tears, wondering how much time she had remaining. Wondering what else she could say. "I'll be ok." She forced the smile to the forefront, holding her trembling lips at bay. "So come back when it gets dark, and we'll find a way to end the story."

The purple eye began to open wider, forcing the blue one closed. Sarada dropped her hand immediately and shivered.

"Insolent fool... Do you really think you can overpower me?!"

Boruto continued to struggle. He managed to pull one hand fully away from her wrists, reaching up to the purple eye with his right hand. "Don't... You dare... lay a single... finger... on... her..."

"No... What are you-?!"

With that, Boruto used his remaining consciousness to rip his right eye out.

. . .

"Gaston... Gaston! Wake up!"

"What do you want?!"

Metal flopped his head against the tree. He had been calling Kawaki for the past hour with no luck. And no matter how many times he had used Belle's name in front of him, Kawaki didn't flinch. "Belle! She's in the hands of a vicious beast... Can we please go save her now?"

Kawaki perked up. "A beast?! The beast!"

Metal groaned.

"Come on Lefou, don't drag your feet! We're going."

"We? You're taking me with you? And right now?!" Metal squeaked.

"Well, someone has to be bait..."

"G-Gaston!" Despite his harsh words, Metal knew that Kawaki still counted on him to a degree. And so it was that Metal set out with Kawaki towards the castle, the sun at their backs.

"We can't waste a moment in rescuing her. If she's in the hands of that beast, I'll put an end to him myself."