Chapter 11: Shikamaru Nara in the Hospital
The arraignment of Sasuke, Toneri, and her husband were pre-emptied secondary concerns to Ino as she and Princess Barbie arrived at the Green Hill Zone General Hospital where Shikamaru Nara, the man who was attacked by the mob, continued to recover from his injuries.
"Ino," he gasped, turning to see the long platinum blonde-haired with bangs framing the right side of her face, light blue-eyed woman standing next to his bedside. "You're alive? But how can that be?"
"It doesn't matter now," whispered Ino, bending down to hug her friend. "You're safe now and I am safe as well."
"But...the mob...how did you...?" wondered Shikamaru.
"Asahi and Honoka saved me," interrupted Ino, breaking away from Shikamaru. "I'm staying in Kimon City until I can get myself back on my feet. To be honest, I'm more than grateful to be free from the evil that has plagued our home."
Shikamaru let out a deep sigh and moaned slightly because of his injuries. Like Ino, he was grateful to be alive and not dead. For he had the desire to bring a new way of life to his fellow kinsfolk of Konohagakure.
"My husband and Sasuke have been arrested," explained Ino. "Or should I say, my ex-husband."
"What are you talking about, Ino-chan?" remarked Shikamaru."What do you mean your ex-husband? Did you leave that pathetic excuse of a man after all this time?"
"I didn't leave me," replied Ino. "Emperor Asahi annulled my marriage to him. He freed me from his wrath and I don't have to tolerate it anymore. To be honest, it was a blessing."
Shikamaru couldn't help but comprehend what his childhood friend had gone through. And as he listened, he couldn't help but feel a mutual development for this young and beautiful woman.
"Well," he groaned, fighting off the pain of his injuries. "That makes it more than...a blessing...to say the least. Having the Royal Monarchs on our side...is a sign that Sasuke...will be out of our lives forever. What is happening to them now?"
"They are on trial," explained Barbie, walking over to them. "In fact, they were arraigned just a short time ago and will face charges for the crimes that they had committed against the people of your town."
This couldn't help but make Shikamaru feel very much relieved at the fact that his friend was alive like him and that their enemies were captured and being held in the dungeons of Kimon City.
"Princess Barbara Millicent Roberts," he remarked, wide-eyed at seeing the Princess of Love standing next to Ino. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness. But what are you doing here? Isn't the Grandall Empire...?"
"No need to worry about the Grandall Empire," interrupted Barbie. "My husband, Ken, is ruling in my absence. As the Princess of Love, I am here to help Ino restart her life."
"We have so many people in our town that wish to start their lives all over again," moaned Shikamaru. "But they just think that Sasuke is their lord and savior. I can't help but wonder why the Royal Monarchs would be tricked and deceived into letting Sasuke become our leader. Don't they understand the damage that they had done by allowing him to take office?"
"They do and they regret their decisions," said Ino, sitting in a chair next to Shikamaru. "I think after seeing me nearly killed by the mob, they have since completely regretted their decisions. All those people, murdered and killed for the various simple reasons that don't even warrant such actions."
Hearing Ino talk about such actions sent a chill down Barbie's back as the memories of the man who once ruled the Grandall Empire, Emperor Strife Astlar Grandall, came flashing through her mind. In fact, Barbie couldn't help but think that Sasuke was influenced by or even related to Strife.
"Actions that we could never tolerate..." Shikamaru started to say, only to feel a sharp twinge of pain on his back. "Damn Sasuke and his ilk to the Astral Chaos for all I care!"
"We have to understand that they will be stripped of their positions," reassured Ino, with her eyes showing their tender side to the wounded man. "Our way of life that we always wanted will return to us soon."
Ino continued to stroke Shikamaru's face and Baribe watched with satisfaction over the fact that perhaps maybe, Ino had found the person that she longed to be with.
However, as she continued to watch, a knock was heard at the door and Barbie turned with a jerk to see Nurse Maddie Wachowski with a scroll in her hands.
"Emperor Asahi wanted me to give this to you," she said, handing Baribe the scroll. "He says it's urgent."
"Thank you," said Baribe, opening the scroll and reading it briefly to herself. Once she was done, Barbie trotted over to the bed. "Ino, this is from Emperor Asahi in Kimon City."
Taking the scroll, Ino read the scroll and a small smile came to her face, a smile of satisfaction.
"I'm going to do it," she whispered in a low voice. "I've been given the chance to testify against that pathetic excuse for a husband."
"You're what, Ino-chan?" gasped Shikamaru. "You're going to testify against Sasuke?"
"Yes," replied Ino, with her face and body showing nothing but satisfaction at being summoned to testify against her enemies. "It's time for my husband, his leader, and the cruel arm of the law to hear from a person who suffered just as much as the next person. When I am done, they will have so much evidence turned against them that not even their defense attorney will get them out of this."
To Princess Barbie, this was a sign that Ino was preparing to gather up all the courage necessary to confront her tormentors at any cost. However, like all the other people that cared about Ino, she couldn't help but wonder whether or nor that Ino was doing the right thing by testifying against her tormentors with the possibility that they could be acquitted for their crimes.
"Testifying against them, Ino?" remarked Shikamaru. "Are you sure that you must?"
"I never had gotten the chance to tell my ex-husband how I truly feel about him," answered Ino firmly, with her eyes welling up with tears of determination. "All of Azura is going to hear is that Sai is the most evilest, most selfish, and most hated man I have ever met. I'm going to make sure that he is exposed for the cowardly man that he is and there is nothing...nothing that Sasuke can do or say anything about it."
Soon, Ino would get her chance as the opening arguments would start the very next day.