BOLT and the Curse Of The Black Chakra

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

He never really gave much thought of losing someone he cared for or loved. How could he? He never even really thought that he would come to care for the boy, for Akeboshi. Though the memories were not his, it was painful anyway. Akeboshi had used what Sarada had said to hurt him, what was it again? He doesn't remember what she had said. All he remembered was that it was a bad thing. Something that made his heart ached like putting salt and hot chilly on a fresh opened wound. But that's not all he remembered. He remembers what made him forgive the boy in the first place. It was that Akeboshi was like an angry child, wanting to hurt everyone when he had the chance. He wanted to hurt because he wanted everyone to feel his pain.

He doesn't know what, why Akeboshi had changed his path. Changed his attitude and even go so far as taking him to the Green Lands. But then, he doesn't even understand himself. Why? Why would he let himself get sealed forever? Why would he care if Oro gets his hands on him? It doesn't matter. None of this does! Why would he want to do well? And where is this other Boruto? He has been thinking all day in silence, in between all his sleepless night. That perhaps, there is no two Boruto. There is just one, and here they were. Here he was.

And here, he cared for Akeboshi and would give anything to see him stand. See his red eyes glimmering with a sarcastic and suspicious look. Lips frowning, lips twitching, and hair all over the place.

"Come on Akeboshi, we are not there yet." He said under his breath. Boruto tied the ripped piece of clothing harder on Akeboshi's arm, hoping it would stop the bleeding. Akeboshi's face had gone pale and sweaty. Giving his very last force of power to keep on breathing, pumping oxygen into his body. He was breathless.

"Boruto, he can't go on like this. He'll die." Sarada took a small tea bag dipped in warm water, tended to stop the bleeding. Gently she pressed the small bag on his arm and he pulled away in pain. Shizuka held his head and shoulder, shaking. From the poisoned arm came out strange white smoke. As if two chemicals met. Akeboshi screamed.

"Oh God." Shizuka squeaked.

"Do you have anything else? I've tried everything it's not working." Sarada looked up to Boruto whose voice was trembling. She took a small medical book from her back pocket, searching helplessly for anythings he might have missed. Perhaps there was a small list to treat poison she had not read or forget. But she had not forgotten and missed anything. This was the minimum medical knowledge a ninja should have to treat a fallen comrade in battle and she had read every single one of them.

"I have nothing." She said in despair.

"Can't you try to take the poison out instead of healing it?" Shizuka tried.

"With what Shizuka? We don't have the right water or liquid, we don't have the knowledge for that, and using the traditional way is just too risky." Sarada said. Boruto gritted his teeth. "What should we do then? Let him die?"

"Do you have any better idea? Letting this kind of poison in your mouth when you don't know what the side effect are? What if it kills you as well?" And then, "Please don't tell me you're planning on sucking it out yourself." Sarada said one hand on her face. It was a gesture he knew well. A gesture she would show only when she knew there was just no other way, a dead end. Or something out of hand, something beyond fixing. She was one to know these things, while he on the other just won't give it a rest.

"I'll do it. What more can we lose? If I die Oro won't get my powers and he'll live."

"I won't let you do it!" Sarada insisted. Stomping both hands, demanding to be heard.

"And keep me for how long? He still has a future! I'm just-"

"I'll do it!" Shizuka interrupted. They both looked at the pale shaking girl. She was on the edge of tears and breaking. Her hands were shaking, but her eyes were determent.