Disclaimer: Yukiko does not own Shinkengers; if she did, Kaoru would probably have more screen time, and maybe Takeru would have more time to stew in angst.
Comments: Takes place in second half of Act 47.

Morning had set, and in the dusk, Takeru could feel himself inching deeper into himself. His friends - and he could admit that's what they were now, even if he'd try to deny it so harshly before - were waiting for an answer, and that's what he'd give them.

"I'm sorry, it was my bad. Hurry and retu-"

"I don't believe it was a lie at all!" Kotoha shouted heatedly, tears springing in her eyes. "All those times we fought together, and all those times we had fun together - all of us - those were real. That's why… That's why..."

"But it's also true that I deceived you all!" He turned his back to them. "It's not just a simple lie either. Even in those fights, you could have needlessly died - for me."

Kotoha.

'Why can't you see that?' He clenched his fist, feeling the weight of it all crush against his frame.

"None of those truths matter when I compare it to that lie. Hurry and return to the Princess' side."

"Oh, for…" Chiaki growled, half exasperated, half angry, grabbing Takeru's shoulder and coming in for a right hook. His eye twitched when Takeru dodged it. "Don't go dodgin' it, ya idiot!"

Chiaki.

Chiaki swung again, this time connecting, sending Takeru into a heap on the floor. Kotoha quickly ran to his side, helping him up, and let out a scolding, "Chiaki!"

"If ya worried about the now, don't, cause the lie's outta th' bag. S' don't freakin' say it! Don't say ya're nothin'! If ya were really 'nothin'' we wouldn't hav' come 'ere now would we?!"

'Chiaki… You…' Takeru took in his words with surprise, was he really saying what he thought he was?

"Shiba… Takeru." Ryuunosuke paused, face solemn. "If it's you, the one I entrusted my life to, then I have no complaints about how you use it: if you tell me to protect the Princess, I willprotect her. However. As a samurai, I entrusted my life to you: now you must take responsibility for that!"

Ryuunosuke.

Ryuunosuke dropped to a reverent genuflection before Takeru, head bowed as he spoke clearly. "I, Ikenami Ryuunosuke, have only one lone Lord! From now, and forever more!"

"I'm on the same page this guy," Chiaki puffed out with his hands on his hips. "I still haven' beat ya yet, and that doesn' settle well with me."

"Me too," Kotoha cheered, settling beside Ryuunosuke. "I'm the same. Gen-san and Jii-san are also the same."

"And the kuroko, too." Ryuunosuke inputted.

"Takeru…" Mako knelt to Takeru's side.

Mako.

"If not as the Shiba Clan head, there are still things that you, Takeru, have built up yourself. They truly exist."

"I…to me…too."

Takeru let the faucet of emotions drain; after seventeen years of this act, it was finally over. His eyes pricked with unbidden tears as he eyes the faces of his friends: Mako's silent strength, Chiaki's suspiciously shiny eyes, Ryuunosuke's straightforward determination and Kotoha's elated smile.

"It was real to me too."

Takeru let a true, wobbly smile bloom on face.

"Thank you."

Bonds.