The Cure

Salzem was sitting on a bench near the entrance to Konoha's great forest contemplating his life. I had been so short and yet.... he had done some good at least. He killed a few monsters, stopped a couple of criminals, fought his share of battles and learned his share of techniques. As Salzem sat there on that bench, he contemplated his life, wondering if he lived it right. Wondering if he lived it the way a parent can be proud of. Maybe. Maybe... As Salzem sat there on his bench, he drew one of his swords, examining the edge. Fine and clean. He had just sharpened it a few hours ago, ready for more cutting. Blood had splattered this blade more than Salzem had splattered the ground with his own. As Salzem sat there on that bench, he took off his breathing mask and looked at it. It had been severely burned in with acid, barely functioning any more. How often has this thing held him back. How often had this thing driven people away and yet, it kept him alive. It kept him alive to find new friends, meet new people, open up to the world. He had thought that he had released attachment, that he was ready to go, to die, and let the poison overwhelm the last of his systems but the truth was, he was afraid. Afraid of everyone he would leave behind. Afraid of the lives he would ruin with his death. Then he was afraid of the lives he had ended. What happened after death, he didn't know. He didn't think he could face the souls of the people he killed. He couldn't stand their looks. Salzem sat on that bench, staring blankly into his reflection on the sword. His Red eyes seemed to stare back up at him expectantly. "What are you going to do" they seemed to ask. Salzem didn't know himself.

Suddenly Salzem would receive someone's Presence with a letter addressed to him, and they took off running after they delivered it, the letter itself saying to him:

Dear Sickly one,
       
Meanwhile in the woods, Stein sat in his clearing, the Seal of Suppression on the ground to help keep himself and his experiments save from prying wonders about chakra signatures, Stein leaned against a tree looking off into the forest towards the village of Konoha, wondering if the Salzem kid got his letter about the time being now to save his life.

Salzem stared into the letter, not sure what these words were saying. He read over the words again and again, before the meaning in the words had finally drifted into existence.

"Live a full life...." Salzem whispered to himself as he read that bit aloud. It was too good to be true, wasn't it? Salzem had lived with this plight for years and now a solution falls into his lap? Just like that? Almost automatically, Salzem  slipped his  sword back into his sheath, grabbed his mask and set off into the woods. Upon entering a clearing, he saw Stein, his doctor, leaning against a tree. He felt he should say something, thank him for what he was about to do. Greet him in some way, but Salzem couldn't speak. The fact of this reality was still sinking in.

He wasn't going to die.....

Staring for about a minute, Salzem finally got a hold of himself. He walked up to stein, and bowed before him.

"I got your message. Thank you."

Stein watched as Salzem finally entered the clearing and he smiled, specially when Salzem bowed and thanked him, but Stein would not say your welcome yet, instead his words would be "So do you wish to be Awake or knocked out first for this operation?" Stein cut to the quick cause he did not know how much time the kid had left and he wanted to get this done.

If the kid wanted to be knocked out he would place his hand on the kids shoulder and hit him with a five elements seal, which would knock him out if he didn't have eighty health, and if he wished to be awake for it, Stein would just flip him onto his back, a bit rough but the next few moments would be rougher.

Salzem stared at Stein. Would he rather be awake or not? Salzem thought for a moment. He actually thought about it. It would possibly hinder the operation his he was awake with the squirming and such. If he was asleep however, he would be a full body for Stein to work with. And that was what he was afraid of. Salzem was slightly uncomfortable with letting anyone other than himself change his body. If he was awake, he could make sure that nothing else was going on. After careful consideration, Salzem decided to put his faith in Stein.

"I'll be unconscious." Salzem said and as he said it, Stein put his hand on Salzem's shoulder. At first Salzem thought it was for reassuring purposes but it turns out Stein had hit him with some kind of seal. Salzem's energy seemed to disappear. He fell to his knees, then on his face, his consciousness gone. He was asleep.

As Salzem fell forward he would catch the kid and then lay him on his back instead of letting him fall on his face, then using chakra scalpel he would operate quickly, cutting the chest of Salzem open, just enough to past the skin and muscles, but not the bones, then while Salzem was opened up he would clone the lungs of Salzem, and using delicate illness extraction to make sure the new lungs were cleaned out, and with one lung prepared he would quickly cut free one lung and place the new lung in it's place, and using Mystical Palm heal the lung in place, and then he would repeat the process with the other lung, and with two new lungs in place, he waited to make sure they were working properly, and as he saw the smallest glimpse that it was, he used mystical palm to heal the kids chest back up.

And then with a Five Elements Unseal he released the kid from the unconscious state he was in and waited for the kid to wake up, meanwhile cleaning his hands up of blood and burying the lungs, nasty looking things that they were.

Salzem awoke feeling slightly sore around his front but otherwise fine. His chest was clearer than it has ever been. He took a few deep breathes, waited for the coughing to come, for the blood to come. It didn't. His throat wasn't the least bit itchy. His chest wasn't the least bit tight. He was.... normal.... Salzem lifted himself off the ground, standing up shakily, expecting himself to be coughing at any moment. No... He wouldn't have to fear that anymore. He was free.... Salzem thought he should feel happy, feel ecstatic. He thought he should feel in debt to stein, but more or less, he just felt rejuvenated. After a moment of enjoying the fresh , clean air going in and out of his new lungs, Salzem took out his mask which was  hanging on his side by one of the straps. Salzem had dreamt of this day ever sense he was a small child. He was going to crush the mask. He was done with it. It wasn't going to scare anyone anymore, keep him from doing anything anymore. It wasn't going to be his source of Life anymore. However, As Salzem's hands  held the mask, he couldn't force himself to do it. This thing had kept him alive. It was his savior (If an over-bearing one). He decided to leave it the way it was, hanging from his  belt. Now, His attention was on Stein.

"Thank you, Stein for this new life. If there's anything I can do to pay you back, let me know."

Stein watched As the kid woke up, and he stared at the mask for awhile, the thing that represented just how close he was to death, and Stein was happy to see the kid keep the mask, it would serve as a good reminder, and Stein nodded when Salzem looked at him and thanked him "Your welcome Salzem, Im happy to have been of service, and I will let you know if and when you can pay me back and how, when the time comes, till then Enjoy life to its fullest now" at that point Stein would turn away and begin to work on an experiement, letting Salzem know if there was nothing else they were done for now

Salzem smiled happily at Stein. He was back to normal! He was no longer confined! Salzem headed home, ready to enjoy the world as a normal person!

(Exit)

WC: 932

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