When Momoshiki awoke, he was tied up and behind bars. His eyes felt like dumbbells, his throat was raw. "Idiot brat... You really outdid yourself this time..."

Heh, Boruto thought, exhausted. Not only did I stay up all night... I made sure to throw up everything left in my stomach... You're also tied up, in case you didn't notice. And Shikadai is the only one who can let you out.

"Hm," Momoshiki smirked. "It seems like you passed out at just the right time... There's more than one set of keys to this jail. And more than one sentient object in this castle."

Boruto narrowed his eyes. He had the feeling... But hopefully Shikadai had taken care of that problem already.

"Lumiere!" Momoshiki yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Y-Y-Yes master?"

Boruto's heart lurched. ...The candle?! They had taken care of a pot, a cup, the dishware, the dressers, the ottoman, the feather duster... Everything. Everything except the dumb stupid candle.

"Get the keys. It seems our little friend has decided to chain me up. You know what happens if you defy me... I'll melt all of your wax and break you in two."

"Right away, master!"

This voice... It can't be... Inojin!?

"Hm. It matters not who it is. I will soon be free."

A switch went off in Boruto's brain. She won't let you. She's free now. She can fight you.

"Ha! I wonder if she has the strength left to fight. One of her arms is out of commission, you know... Trying to stop me is pointless, foolish human! It's only a matter of time until Lumiere brings me the keys..."

Shikadai will stop him.

But Boruto could already hear the distinct metallic clinks of the candle's footsteps as it raced back towards the dungeon. "Master! I have the keys..."

Boruto cursed himself. He never thought there was more than one set. They had done everything they could... He only hoped he had weakened himself enough that Sarada would be able to put up a fight.

Momoshiki lowered his gaze, an evil smile crossing his face. "Undo the lock."

Anxiety clutched Boruto's chest as Momoshiki made his way to Sarada's room.

Why... Why are you doing this? You don't even care about this world. I'm not going to give in. I'm only going to try harder to defy you… Piece of crap.

"It isn't exactly entertaining, you know. I used to have the power to take over worlds, and now I'm forced into some teenage boy's body... At least Isshiki had the freedom to move like he wanted to. Thanks to those stupid pills, all I can do is prickle your consciousness every now and again. Some vessel you are."

So this really is just entertainment?! You psycho.

"Nothing pleases me more than humans cowering before me. I would take over a town if I could, but I can't. So your little girlfriend will have to do... And while I'm at it, I'd rather enjoy crushing your soul completely. Then I'll be free to do as I please."

Boruto felt adrenaline course through him that wasn't his. He felt his hand clench in reluctant victory.

If you keep doing this... I will kill myself.

"You didn't yesterday, so why would you today? Face it. You love her too much to die on her and leave her alone. If you're gone, who will protect her? She'll stay in this game forever. And her family will never see her again."

Boruto hated how right Momoshiki was. He wanted, desperately to get Sarada out of this game. To put an end to all of this. To bring her back to her family. He didn't want to leave her alone. But…

Don't test me, Momoshiki. Torture her again, and you won't be conquering anything. Shikadai will find a way to get her out… And if I kill you off, I'll be doing everyone a favor.

"Then we'll have a contest to see whose soul dies out first… But if you truly love her, you won't die."

With that, Momoshiki wrapped his fingers around the doorhandle to the bedroom that contained Sarada.

"Oh princess," he called, rope in his hand. "It seems your prince doesn't care enough about you to keep me restrained," said Momoshiki, grabbing her bad arm as her eyes fluttered open.

The panic on her face sent waves of nausea coursing through Boruto. But this time, he was determined to stay conscious. Determined to find a way to fight.

He felt his fingers wrap tightly around her injured wrist, watching as her face contorted with pain, silent screams clawing their way up her throat. Rather than using her emotions as a means to hide, he used them to fight. He could feel his own emotions along with Momoshiki's. Surges of anger. Waves of delight.

Sarada tried to scramble backwards. She tried tugging her hand free. Boruto tried to open his fingers. He tried to let her go. He tried and tried and tried.

He tried to pull back as Momoshiki forced her wrist above her head. He tried to relax his fingers as Momoshiki dropped the rope and grabbed the other hand. He attempted to throw himself backwards as Momoshiki pinned both arms above her head with one hand and began tying rope around them with the other.

He tried to loosen his grip as the rope tightened in his hands, dragging her away from the bed. He tried to stop his feet from walking towards the prison cell. No matter what Momoshiki did, Boruto never stopped trying to stop him.

. . .

Another day of hunting in the forest proved entirely useless to Kawaki. Nothing new appeared. And each deer he found had smaller antlers than the ones that already hung above his mantle.

Metal watched him drown his sorrows in alcohol as usual, empty glass mug thudding against the wooden table.

Just as Metal thought to warn Kawaki about making that his last glass of the day, someone burst through the doors, drawing everyone's attention. It was the crazed man. He marched right up to Metal, black cape trailing behind him, and stared him down, his eyes bloodshot. "In a castle to the west… There's a beast. He's got her… He has my daughter!"

"Calm down old man! What is this about a beast?"

"This hideous creature… He captured her!" The old man clenched his fist. "With pale purple eyes, and blue patterns running down his body… He had her in his clutches. I didn't stand a chance."

Murmurs spread throughout the tavern, disrupting the previous hush.

The old man turned away and looked at the rest of the customers. "If you don't want him targeting your woman and children as well… Hide them away! Quickly!"

"Ha." Kawaki mumbled and stood to his feet. "Quit interrupting my drinking, old man. Your daughter doesn't mean anything to the rest of us."

"Fine… Then I'll save Belle alone if I must."

"Hold on…" Kawaki stumbled, narrowing his eyes. "Did you just say… Belle?"

"I thought she meant nothing to you. If you won't believe me, I'd best be on my way." He turned over his shoulder, but Kawaki put out a strong hand to stop him.

"Where is this… beast? I've acquired a new interest in hunting it." His drunkenness faded, and the look in his eyes was serious. "Tell me, old man."

"If you'll help me… I suppose I'll cooperate. The beast dwells in a tower to the west. I came across the castle yesterday while I was out searching for her... He had her behind bars, his arms wrapped around her like he was about to choke her. If I don't have the help of someone else, I'm afraid he'll kill her before I can get to her… I need a weapon. I need the aid of your gun."

"T-That sounds terrible!" Metal squeaked, shuttering under the two men's immense aura. "W-What kind of beast is it?"

The old man turned and narrowed his eyes at Metal. "It's man shaped. But that thing is not a man… Scraggly blonde hair... An empty purple eye... And on his head, a single, rectangular shaped antler..."

"Antler..." Kawaki narrowed his eyes, drifting to some far off corner of the tavern as the hum of conversation around them resumed. "I'll have it mounted on my wall. But if you're really Belle's father, I'd like to make a deal with you..."

"A deal?"

"In return, for hunting this beast… You'll give me your daughter's hand in marriage?"

His charcoal gaze focused on Kawaki's well built chest. "I suppose, that could be arranged… But her feelings are more important to me."

"Hm." Kawaki snatched his hunting rife away from the edge of the table and grabbed a lantern. "Come on Lefou, we're going to catch ourselves a beast."

"Y-yes Gaston!"

But in that moment, Kawaki tripped over a ledge. He fell face first onto the dirt. And when he looked up, he was squinting.

"P-Perhaps you should sober up first… And then we can go…"

"We have to go now, Lefou! She's in the hands of a treacherous beast."

But Kawaki's face only fell forward. With that, he passed out. And Metal groaned. "I guess I have to carry you home again…"

"I suspect you'll set out first thing in the morning?"

Metal gave the old man a nod and a smile. "Yes sir. Consider your request taken! We'll go hunt this creature and bring back his horn along with your daughter... As soon as my friend is sober, that is..."

The man seemed at ease behind his tired, closed eyes as he bowed his head ever so slightly. "Thank you…"

. . .

Until he got his consciousness back, Boruto fought. He had succeeded in taking control 3 times. The first time was when he saw Sarada squirming at the thought of being burned. The second was when he stripped her down to her undergarments to continue the pattern from her neck to her feet. And the third was when he choked her, waiting until she was about to pass out, then letting her breathe and starting the process all over again.

But even then, he couldn't do more than utter her name.

The second the sun disappeared over the horizon, he threw the knife backwards.

"Sarada!"

"Bo... ru... to..."

He was weak from exhaustion and starvation, but that didn't matter. Immediately working the rope away from her wrists, he let her collapse into his arms, tears streaming down his face.

"Please," he begged, sending shivers up her spine. "Please let me kill myself. This is just a game. Maybe if I die, we can get out of here."

"No," she barely managed to mumble into his shirt. Her voice had gone hoarse from all of the screaming, body shaking. "What if you really die? I told you, I'm ok..."

"You're not ok!"

He cursed himself as she trembled, his voice likely scaring her more than anything else. "You're not ok," he whimpered into her bare back, his blurred vision barely able to make out the burn marks that stretched up her neck.

"I... I'm cold..."

His tears dripped onto her shoulders as he released her, picking up his discarded jacket and wrapping it gently around her tender skin. She winced, unwilling to work her arms through the holes. Instead, she leaned back into the warmth of his body and curled her injured fingers into his shirt.

"Why... Why are you doing this? Why are you enduring this?"

Sarada's cracked lips formed a smile. "Because," she said, trembling against him. "Before we left... Back in Konoha... You were thinking about killing yourself if you turned into him again... Weren't you?"

He tucked his chin into the top of her head. His arms wrapped around her back and pulled her into his aching chest, voice nothing but a small whimper. "I didn't tell anyone but Kawaki... How..."

"Heh," she managed to chuckle. "I can read you like a book... You know..."

His chin quivered.

"You were thinking... that that was the best way... To make sure you saved everyone..."

Silent tears fell into her hair.

"But Boruto," she said, pulling herself up to look into his eyes. "Even if the entire town was destroyed... I wouldn't want you to die..."

Unable to avert her gaze, his tears fell down his cheeks in gentle cascades.

She nuzzled back down into his chest. "I'm sure it's not just me... Our friends... your parents... everyone is thinking the same thing... So don't give up so easily... The rest of us are tougher than you think... And you are slowly gaining control back... So fight... Fight until the bitter end..."

With that, Sarada lost consciousness in his arms once more.

He curled himself around her unconscious body. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't he be the one to suffer? Both her and Shikadai... They had so much faith in him. He was an Otsutsuki. The very being that threatened humanity's existence. Just before his body was taken over, he had even taken part in trying to subdue the monster in a different dimension. The very monster who had injured hundreds of people. But even though he was willing to give up his life... Why was it different when the monster was him? Why couldn't anyone else see... He deserved to die.

This time... This time he wasn't going to screw up.

Gently slipping her shorts on, he lifted her into his arms and carried her down the hall.

It didn't take long to find her bedroom. He laid her in bed just as he did the night before, but this time, their proximity caused her dry lips to brush up against his forehead. They were cracked from her whimpers and screams, but still so soft.

Memories of all the times he had kissed her flashed through his brain, sending waves of emotion over him. As his arms slid out from under her, his fingers slid into her hair, tears slipping out of his eyes. Even with burn marks scaring her body... Sarada was still beautiful.

I'm sorry, he said silently again, softly pressing his lips to the corner of one eye.

He lingered there for a moment, attempting to collect himself as he swallowed back sobs. His eyes trailed over her eyelashes. The gentle curvature of her nose. Boruto shook his head. As much as he wanted to kiss away her pain, he had no right. He couldn't... He shouldn't...

But as if drawn in by a magnet, he couldn't help himself.

I'm sorry, he said a million times over, his heart squeezing in his chest as he kissed her, slipping his lips in between hers. I'm sorry, he said again, gently coercing her bottom lip into his mouth, pressing her into the pillow, craving the kiss he had missed at the end of the previous story.

I love you...

Agony threatening to choke him, he gently pulled away, tears dripping onto her face. He only wished that this time they were magical enough to heal her. His heart pounded in his chest, the heat in his face slowly fading from passion to resolve.

He never wanted to hurt her again. He couldn't... He wouldn't allow himself to.