Chapter Three: A Creature of Pure Evil


The halls of the Hot Dog Hills General Hospital buzzed with the sounds of screams and shouts caused by doctors and nurses. But what had happened in Konohagakure had caused the screams to rise up even louder than normal. The sight of a man beaten within an inch of his life had caused a sense of fear and dread among the doctors and nurses.

"Who would even do something like this?" sighed a male doctor to a nurse as he walked out of the emergency room and removed a surgical mask from his face. "He should be lucky to the fact that he is even alive to begin with."

"He's the fourth case this week from Konohagakure," added the nurse. "But those were nothing but minor cuts and bruises. This poor soul, well, says that the royal couple are going to need to look into what is going on in Konohagakure. I, for one, think that the evil mayor who was elected should be removed from power."

The medicals walk into the doctor's office and the doctor sat down behind his desk, sighing heavily at what he was up against. No sooner did he sit down did another scream ring out.

"Asuma Saurtobi! Please hang on! You've got a daughter who needs her daddy!"

"Make that the fifth from Konohagakure," groaned the doctor, rubbing his face against his hands. "Just what we need right now, another person to treat from being beaten. If only the emperor and empress could do something about this evil monster who is running Konohagakure."

"We can't worry about that right now, Doctor Tofu," said the nurse as she walked towards the door. "I've got to get over and help out in the emergency room."

"Do what have to do, Alice Tsukagami," remarked the doctor, and the nurse left to help out in the emergency room.

At that moment, the man that the doctor had been working on was wheeled out of the emergency room and the doctor went out of the office to accompany the nurses moving the man.

"Put him in the intensive care," he ordered the team of nurses. "And give him some morphine to try and keep the pain numb."

"Yes, doctor," acknowledged a nurse and they wheeled the man into the Intensive Care Unit, hooking him up to several IV's. As they did so, the man opened his eyes and weakly looked up to the doctor in a weak voice.

"Sakura? Sakura?" he whispered weakly. "Where is Sakura Uchiha?"

This caused the doctor to focus his attention on the injured man.

"Who is Sakura Uchiha?" asked the doctor.

"A friend and fellow supporter of a new Konohagakure," whispered the man. "She needs...to...be...told..."

Before he could say another word however, the man winced sharply in pain as several more doses of medication were injected into his body.

"We will try and notify your friend," said the doctor. "But right now, we need to worry about you."

At that moment, the sounds of commotion were heard and the doctor turned around to see both Emperor Asahi and Empress Honoka walked into the Intensive Care Unit. This caused the doctor to briefly bow to them.

"Is this the man from Konohagakure?" he asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," answered the doctor, rising to his feet. "He's badly injured and won't be ready to talk to anyone for at least a few days. However, he keeps saying that he has a friend who needs to know where he is."

"Did he say what the name was?" asked Honoka.

"He keeps looking for a Sakura Uchiha," replied the doctor as he led the couple over to the patient, while the nurses bowed and backed away. "Says that she is a friend and fellow supporter of a so called 'new Konohagakure.'"

Asahi and Honoka looked down at the man, who could only move his eyes, now being filled with tears.

"My saviors, you've come at last," he whispered. "You've come to free us from the evil that has jeopardized our home. Oh how I've longed for this day."

"You are lucky to be alive, my subject," said Honoka, using her left finger to wipe the tears of the injured man. "Who did this to you?"

"A mob," answered the man, much to the astonishment to the couple. "A mob who was intending on killing me for not supporting that monster of a mayor that we have to live under."

This, to the couple, was sign that some of the clues were coming together. The woman who was given sanctuary in Albion and this man lying in the Intensive Care Unit were very close friends. Now, it appeared that the mob that Asahi banned from Albion did not have just Sakura targeted for death.

"We're listening," said Asahi. "Go on."

"Something needs to be done," moaned the injured man. "Shimura has caused enough damage to Konohagakure and his ideals and plans for our town will...never become reality."

"Which includes adultery," muttered Honoka to Asahi, who nodded in silent reply as they continued to listen.

"Shimura has plans to purify Avalon," continued the injured man. "And anyone who stands in his ways, well, they wouldn't live...to see another day. He wants to one day get to the highest ranks...of Avalon's goverment."

Upon hearing this, Asahi backed away and absorbed what was being sad about this particular man that they thought would govern Konohagakure using the laws that they enforced. He continued this for a few more moments before turning back towards the man.

"I'm sorry that we have to ask you this question," said Asahi remorsefully. "But what methods of punishment is Shimura using?"

This made the man close his eyes and whimper slightly, but he had to answer Asahi's question. The man knew in his mind that with each detail revealed to the couple, was another step in removing the dictator of Konohagakure from power.

"Several," he answered. "Several forms of execution that you would never use to carry out justice. Hanging, electrocution, disembowelment, beheading, stoning, burning at the stake. Anything that is everything Avalon has stood for."

The revelation of Shimura's execution methods caused several of the nurses to become sick to their stomachs. Some even had to leave the room to heave out the sickness caused by this revelation. But Asahi and Honoka remained undeterred by this.

"How many people has he killed against their will?" asked Honoka firmly.

"As far as I know," said the man. "About ten people. People that Shimura believed to be against the new world order of Avalon he wanted to create."

At this moment, Asahi and Honoka had heard enough of the revelations and realized what they needed to do.

"That is all," said Honoka. "You have given us enough information to help us. Rest easy, my subject."

Once the meeting was over, the couple left the hospital and returned to Albion, feeling somewhat disgusted by the details of Shimura's methods. Upon their return, Sakura walked onto the top of the castle and watched as the couple landed in front of her.

"I've been looking for both of you," said Sakura. "There is something that is on my mind that I need to share with you. My friend, Kazuya Watanabe, he's..."

"At the Hot Dog Hills General Hospital," interrupted Asahi, and Sakura collasped in shock. "We were just talking with him, milady, and he says that there is more to the story of Shimura than meets the eye."

"Is it true that Shimura used violent methods against the inhabitants of Konohagakure?" asked Honoka.

"Yes," answered Sakura. "Anyone who defied his way of life suffered the consequences in the worst manny possible. He personally ordered me to be stoned for falling in love with another man, but he couldn't do so unless he got orders from both of you."

To Asahi and Honoka, now they were starting to get memories of another man who had a heart as black as the night sky. None other that Emperor Strife Astlar Grandall himself.

"When will Kazuya be released?" asked Sakura worriedly.

"Neither one of us are sure," answered Honoka. "But once he is released, we will personally have him brought here to Albion and he will be given the same sanctuary as you."

Sakura smiled at this and walked back down into the castle, while Asahi and Honoka followed her footsteps. Now, with all that was happening, it was apparent that something needed to be done.

"In the meantime," said Asahi firmly. "I want anyone associated with Mayor Shimura arrested and brought here for questioning, Honoka. Take some guards with you, for you will be confronted with corrupt and dangerous people."

Honoka nodded at this, for she knew that even though it was dangerous, this was her duty, and soon both Asahi and Honoka would start the next step in their investigation as they got closer to removing a corrupt mayor from power.