Innocence
There are those days when you question the very existence of god. When you ask yourself why he simply stands around and lets innocent people die. How wife's lose their husbands and kids lose their fathers. Or maybe even a teenager losing their childhood love.
These, was one of those days.
The entire village of Konoha was all gathered in front of the Hokage tower; well the adults anyway. Only grown ups and Konoha shinobi were allowed to witness the event that was about to unfold. Some witnesses called it justice while others were repulsed at the very thought if it.
The sun itself hid behind an ocean of clouds; it too was repulsed at the event that was about to unfold.
As the several dozen people stood in front of the hokage tower; none of them spoke a word. They all stood completely silent as they carefully studied the platform that held a bed type platform, the kind doctors use to do surgery on patients. A couple yards behind the bed was a higher pedestal that contained a single seat.
It was there that the fifth hokage sat, like a god she looked down at the crowed of people who were waiting for the event to began. On the edge of the platform, the counsel of elders all stood in a line. Most of them remained emotionless, while the rest of them gave a small smirk.
Clearing her throat, Tsunade took a deep breath. "Bring out the prisoner!" she commanded
Several minutes later the prisoner was brought out.. He was lead through the crowd of people by four ANBU, each one as alert as the next.
He stood roughly 6' ft. and weighed a mere 150 lbs. His name was Yasami Riku and he was a mere teenager.
As he was escorted through the crowd of people, most of them began to react. Some made dreadful faces, others yelled inhuman words, while others spat at him.
Riku's only reaction was a smile. Despite everything that was about to unfold, he couldn't help but smile. He had accomplished so many good things in his life, most of which people wouldn't ever know about. He gave shelter to those to needed it, became friends with the friendless, fought for the weak, and above all else….he protected he friends.
Everything he had done was for them, to keep them safe, and they had no idea. So he couldn't help but smile at a time like this.
He knew he would die someday, everyone does eventually. His time just came before everyone else.
"There he is, that's the traitor!" Someone yelled among the crowd.
With his head high, Riku continued to walk towards the platform. As he neared the front, his foot caught a rock and he fell to the ground. A few people toke that chance to rush towards him to kick him while he was down. The ANBU simply let them and so did Riku. He didn't struggle or resist in any way.
After a couple seconds, the ANBU finally pushed the small mop back into the crowed and lifted Riku to his feet. Catching his breath, he wiped a trail of blood that was running down the side of his mouth. "Arigatou" he thanked the ninja.
"Just keep walking traitor" they replied hatefully.
with a smile and a nod, Riku continued his way towards the front. As he neared it, he paused at a certain group of shinobi. They stared at him like the rest of the crowed, hate in their eyes and coldness in their hearts. Everyone that is, except two people.
"Hinata-chan. Naruto-kun" Riku smiled.
For a while neither of them said anything, both of them were unsure of what to think about Riku anymore, much less what to say to him. In the end it was the beautiful Hyuuga that broke the silence. "R-riku-kun" She sobbed, "T-tell me you didn't do it. Tell me they're all lies. That you would never betray us!"
"Don't cry Hinata-chan" Riku warmly smiled, "I hate it when you're sad"
"Riku" Naruto finally managed to mutter, "Did…….did you really do it?"
"You know me Naruto" Riku replied, "Would I really do something like that?"
That being said, the ANBU shoved Riku ahead. "Keep it moving"
Stepping onto the steps of the platform, Riku met the eyes of Tsunade. She appeared calm on the outside, but in reality she was crushed. She would be willing to give up anything for someone like Riku. She knew the work that he did, and she respected him greatly for it. She even thought about letting him escape, though Riku told her that he wouldn't go anywhere even if she broke him out.
'I've never regretted anything that I've done to keep everyone happy and safe' he told her, "If I have to die for that then I'am more the happy to give up my life"
When Riku was finally on the platform, in front of the Hokage and the crowed, Tsunade stood. She waited a couple sounds before beginning to let the crowed quiet down. "Yasami Riku" She said, "You are brought here today for your actions. Your actions which could've brought the downfall of Konoha. Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"………"
"So you choose to remain silent" The sanin sighed, "Even when death seems imminent"
"………"
She hesitated for a second but eventually Tsunade continued, "You're accused of being allies with Orochimaru. You gave him highly classified information on our shinobi and planned my assassination at the same time. Thus bringing the downfall of Konoha"
"…….."
"Do you not have any objections?!" She asked him.
"……."
"We've reviewed all the evidence presented to us against you" Tsunade informed him, "And we've had no choice but to find you guilty. The only possible form of punishment is………death by injection"
A wave of cheers erupted through the crowd of people that had found him guilty days before.
"…….."
"Do you not have anything to say!" Tsunade practically yelled at Riku. "Don't you want to defend yourself?!"
"It's okay" Riku told Tsunade in a calm voice, "I always expected I was going to die young. I'm surprised I made it this long to tell you the truth".
Everyone remained silent as several roars of lighting roared throughout the sky. A clear sign that rain was near.
"lets move this along Tsunade" One of the elders advised her, "Before we get rained on"
Giving the elders a hateful snare, Tsunade motioned the ANBU to strap Riku into the medical bed. After that was done, it was elevated vertically so everyone could see Riku.
Though despite the scene of a crying boy begging for his life that the audience expected, Riku simply smiled peacefully and looked up at the cloudy sky.
"It's going to rain" he muttered to himself.
After making sure that Riku was secure, a medical ninja brought Tsunade a syringe filled with clear liquid. It was a poison that completely shut down a persons system. It was common at executions.
By now most the audience were getting eager. Some of them even started to cheer as they saw Tsunade place the needle over Riku's vain.
Though it was the shy Hyuuga that really surprised everyone. She suddenly dashed past everyone as rushed onto the platform. "Stop!" she yelled, "Can't you see he's innocent?!"
She didn't get to far though, as several ANBU caught her, but that didn't stop her from yelling. "Please Tsunade-sama! You can't do this to Riku-kun! I….I love him!"
"It's okay Hinata-chan" Riku smiled at her, "Everything's going to be alright"
"Why?" She cried looking at him, "Why are you smiling?! How can you smile at a time like this? Answer me!"
"Riku" Tsunade whispered, "Are you sure you wont go through with my plan? I could get you out of here and far away from this place at any moment"
"I' am sure" Riku replied, "Could you just……..take care of Hinata-chan for me?"
Nodding, Tsunade placed the needle into Riku's vain and injected the liquid. "Gomen" she apologized, "You, out of all people, don't deserve this"
It didn't take long for the poison to take effect. Riku had to bite his lip to the point were it started to bleed to avoid from screaming out in pain. His body fought back as long as it could, but in the end it lost the fight. Riku's heart started to slow down little by little until it eventually stopped altogether.
In the last seconds of his life, he looked up at the sky and smiled, "Otosan. Okasan. I finally get to see you. I hope….I hope you're proud of me"
Once Tsunade saw that Riku was dead, she dropped the needle and stepped back. "There!" She screamed at the crowed, "Are you happy!?"
Nobody replied. Instead they all rushed towards their houses to get away from the already falling rain. Everyone left except for Tsunade and Hinata. Naruto stood motionless in the rain for a couple minutes but eventually, he too also left.
Hugging Riku's body, Hinata continued to cry, "But he was innocent. He didn't deserve to die!"
"I know" Tsunade also moaned, "I…….know"
Standing in the rain, just like millions of people everyday. Hinata and Tsunade asked themselves how this could happen. How the god they had prayed to everyday could simply allow such injustice to occur.
Why he allowed murderers and rapists to roam free through the streets while people like Riku died.
"It's time to go Hinata" Tsunade said awhile later, "You're going to catch a cold"
"I don't care!" Hinata replied, "Just….Just leave me with Riku-kun"
"He's gone Hinata. There's nothing you can do to change that" Snapping her fingers, Tsunade summoned a group of medical ninja who placed Riku's lifeless body into a body bag.
Hinata could do nothing but hug herself and cry as she saw the body of her childhood love be taken away.
I am not sure if I am going to continue this, or simply leave it as it is. Let me know what you thought of this.