Act 10: Desires
Onboard the Daitanix, Hisan was playing her tune while Battobass and Zahab waited for lord Drakkon to speak.
"Hisan, the Daitanix desires more suffering."
"Yes my lord."
"Hisan." He said as she turned to him.
"Juzo may be there. Be weary of him."
"Yes my lord. Dekker."
The door from the main deck opened as one of her monsters came in, this one having bull horns on its head, a red cape,and black armored body similar to a bull's body but humanoid.
"You called mistress."
"We're going to cause true suffering. The suffering of lost love." Hisan said as she got up and left with her monster.
It was morning on the edge of route 32 and the Leviathan was soaring over the ocean.
The Shinkengers were in the middle of their training as Hikoma oversaw.
Moments later he heard something, Hikoma turned to see a Pidgey fly up and land on his shoulder.
The small bird had a letter hold attached to his body, Hikoma opening it and recognizing the seal on the letter before he opened it.
Hikoma read the letter with much excitement.
The ninja kuroko backed away as the servant kuroko came to them with water and towels.
"We should reach the Union cave by tomorrow, and Atlantis with it." Emily said sounding excited.
"How is training Heracross going?" Jack asked.
"Pretty good actually, I think that-"
"My lord!" Hikoma said sounding excited as he came over.
"I have wonderful news, we'll be stopping at the house of Asami today."
"Huh?" Emily said.
"It's right on the way." Kaoru was wiping her face.
"Wait a minute, are these the same Asami's as the ones from the battle of Blackthorn city?" Jack asked.
"Yes, they're a very influential noble house, much like the Shibas. Their lord, Tatsuya Asami is a world renowned karate expert, he owns and runs a series of karate leagues. His wife, Lady Yuri runs several privatized law enforcement companies."
"Why are we stopping there?" Takeru asked.
"Because they've agreed to my proposal."
"Proposal?" Jack said.
"I've arranged a marriage between you and their oldest child, Mako Asami."
Quinn's face turned white as she gave a crestfallen expression.
"What!?" Quinn screamed.
"You arranged a marriage for me, without letting me know first." Takeru said.
"It's high time you were married. She's twenty-one like you and she comes from a very worthy house."
"Wait a minute, you're not trying to match me to their son too are you?" Kaoru asked.
"Naoto is only fourteen." Hikoma said.
"Are you insane! You can't just marry him to a stranger he's never met!" Quinn screamed in anger.
"Quinn! This is a common practice done for centuries, Lord Shiba's father and mother had an arranged marriage. His grandparents, their parents, now Lord Shiba will be married and ensure there is a new lord Shiba."
"….Ensure there's a new lord Shiba." Quinn said shaking.
Arkanes noticed this as well.
"Oh boy." He said.
"We'll arrive within the hour, you must be bathed and properly shaved before you meet your new bride." Hikoma said.
"He's, he's not going to do this , right Takeru." Quinn said turning to him.
"It wouldn't hurt to meet them."
Quinn gave another crestfallen expression.
"Kaoru, you can't be ok with this?!"
"I don't like to judge people before I meet them Quinn."
Quinn kept freaking out as the Leviathan reached a large estate much like the Shiba estate.
The Shinkengers and Kaoru had to get into their more formal kimonos as they arrived at the entrance to the house.
Several Asami kuroko were at the house only these kuroko wore red robes instead of black. They opened the door and let the group inside. The interior also looking similar to the Shiba estate only with some different decorations.
As they approached a larger room with a teenage boy waiting for them.
He had a Cyndaquil beside him as he looked at the group.
"So you're the Shinkengers. I'm not that impressed."
"Naoto Asami." Hikoma said. Naoto had thick black hair and grey eyes. He wore a formal kimono too.
"You must be here to marry my sister." He said looking at Takeru.
"Where are lord and lady Asami?" Hikoma asked.
"They're out on business. This is just a visitation before the wedding."
"Where is your sister?"
"Waiting for you in the next room." Naoto said walking into the other room.
Quinn tightened her grip in anger, Arkanes noticing her face turn red, then seat dropped.
"Easy there Quinn, Lord Shiba won't actually do this. Besides we've never even met this girl. Just because she's a noble lady doesn't mean she's what he wants. This isn't some fantasy where she'll be some great beautiful."
They entered the next room and saw several Asami kuroko kneeling around a higher elevated kneeling pad.
"This is my sister, Mako Asami."
Sitting there was a young woman. She had the same skin tone as the others , but her skin seemed as smooth as silk, not having any imperfections. Her hair was long and a deep red, not ginger, but red done up formally. She had deep blue eyes and an above average body under her blue kimono.
Jack, Arkanes, and even Takeru were smitten when they saw her, their faces turning red.
"She's, she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Arkanes said before Quinn looked terrified.
Arkanes approached her and bowed.
"My lady, it's an honor and."
Arkanes felt something smash his head.
"Insolent fool!" A sharp voice shouted.
The others saw an older man wearing a grey kimono similar to Hikoma's kept smacking Arkanes back with a piece of wood.
"You dare approach lady Asami in such a manner!"
"Toshizo." Hikoma said as he came forward.
"It's been a while."
"Hikoma, I see you've finally come to your senses and taken up lord Asami's very generous offer to marry his daughter to Shinken Red."
Arkanes rubbed his head as he came back by Quinn who not looked very afraid.
"Look at her, she's so beautiful. He's already in love with her."
"Ahhh, come on, our lord isn't that shallow. I mean with a guardian like this Toshizo guy, this girl is probably a spoiled brat. Our lord will see right through her." Arkanes said.
"So your family are samurai too?" Jack started before Toshizo came in from of him with an angry expression.
"Insolent fool! You speak to a lady of the great house Asami! You will speak only when spoken too and!" He started before the young woman took out a fan and smacked the back of Toshizo's head.
"Toshizo!" She said in a stern tone, the older man turning to her.
"These samurai are the retainers of my betrothed and our guests, you will stop speaking to them in such a manner."
"Yes my lady, I deeply apologize."
Takeru approached her.
"So you're Lady Asami."
"That's my mother, I'm just Mako. Lord Shiba."
"You can call me Takeru."
Quinn was shaking again.
Arkanes sweat dropped.
Mako got up.
"Would you like to take a look around the estate." Takeru nodded.
The entourage went around the estate, seeing various fighting pokemon around it.
"So many fighting pokemon." Arkanes said.
"Fool, you insult our estate!" Toshizo said before Mako smacked him again.
"Toshizo, enough. These are our fathers." Mako said.
"I heard he's a karate enthusiastic." Takeru said.
"Definitely." Naoto said.
Arkanes noticed Quinn was still looking worried.
"Ok, so she's very pretty and nice. But Takeru is a samurai, its his life. Maybe this girl is just a regular girl like Jack pushed into this life style. He won't find her as appealing then."
They entered another part of the estate with a series of paintings. The paintings were of old samurai battles.
"These paintings show the history of house Asami's samurai."
"Ahh that one's the battle of Blackthorn city." Arkanes said as as he came closer.
"Keep away from our!" Toshizo started before he saw Mako give him a look and stopped.
"Our ancestor was outnumbered three two one against daimyo Tatsumi. Instead of battling them head on , he used guerrilla tactics." Mako started.
"He raided their camps. Sabotaging their supplies and weapons." Takeru said.
"It was an amazing tactic." Arkanes said.
"Our lord wasn't the originator of it though." Mako said.
Takeru and Arkanes turning to her.
"In truth from the scribes he left behind, he claimed to have adapted the tactic from Shogun Kaijo in the first age."
"Ahh Shogun Kaijo, Johto's first shogun." Takeru said.
"The one who made the coalition with Kanto's Roman Republic." Arkanes said.
"He joined forces with Rome's first consul, Romulus, to fight off an invasion from Sinnoh. Kaijo's Samurai engaged in guerrilla warfare while Romulus's legions fought them on the field of battle."
"Amazing, she really knows her history." Arkanes said before seeing Quinn's expression.
He then nervously sweat dropped.
"Ahhhh, well. Takeru is a man of action, I mean one thing they'll never have in common is being warriors."
Quinn still watched in concern as Mako stayed close to Takeru.
They kept exploring the paintings before they saw one Arkanes had seen before.
"This one you'll like, it's of the very first shinkengers." Mako said as Takeru looked at it.
"My lord, I've seen this before. One of the scrolls I read for the combining character."
Mako took interest from that.
"Wait a minute, weren't you the one who combined the ShinkenOh?" Mako asked Takeru.
"No, that was Arkanes."
"That's impressive."
"What? What kind of lord is shown up by his retain!" Toshizo said before Hikoma smashed him.
"Don't insult my lord." Hikoma said.
"My lord, I was wondering about the white area. What it mean." Arkanes said.
"You mean you haven't told them?" Mako said.
"Told us what?" Emily asked.
Takeru took a deep breath.
"I didn't think it was relevant for our fight, but I suppose you should know. There weren't five Shinkenger's originally. There were six."
"Six?" They said in confusion.
Hikoma nodded.
"The outcast samurai, one's who's powers never came from legendary pokemon, but from mojikara itself." Hikoma said.
"Shinken White." Takeru said.
"Shinken White?"
"Retsudo Shiba found him as a beggar, we don't know what his name was, but we know Retsudo saw an unusually strong amount of Mojikara in him. Retsudo trained him as a samurai, and over time, the man was able to create his own white brush, becoming Shinken White."
"What happened to him? I've never heard of a Shinken White before?" Arkanes said.
Mako looked at Takeru.
"Usually only the Shiba head's were capable of learning the sealing character, but according to legend, so could Shinken White. When things were at their worst, Retsudo sent Shinken White to infiltrate the Daitanix and seal Lord Drakkon. He succeeded but never returned."
The other were a bit shaken by this story, there had originally been another Shinkenger.
"His name has truly been forgotten by history. Thus is the tragedy of Shinken White." Mako said.
The two parties were eventually separated, Hikoma keeping the others away so Takeru and Mako could be alone, much to Quinn's fear.
Takeru and Mako stood in the garden area looking out at the ocean.
"I can only imagine how hard it must be, fighting the Gedoshu. Knowing your war could never end."
"I'm sworn to fight the Gedoshu, to my dying breath. I have no other path."
Mako looked at Takeru again.
"Is it true, I've always wondered, about the Gedoshu themselves."
"It is, every one of those monsters fell into Gedoshu. Once you do, there's no turning back."
"That's tragic."
"Those chose their paths, no one forced it on them."
Unknown to the two, they were being watched. Hisan and Dekker watched from a distance.
"So it's true, Shinken Red is to be married."
"So our target is his bride." Dekker said.
Hisan moved her hands softly against her shamisen.
"She will suffer from her unrequited love, as will he. The suffering of the Shiba head will be especially desirable to the Daitanix."
Another person was also watching Takeru.
"Shinken Red."
There was a slight silence between Takeru and Mako.
"Should we rejoin the others?" She asked, Takeru nodding before he heard something.
The water burst as he saw Dekker leap out at him.
"Gedoshu!"
Dekker tried to ram his horns into Takeru, but he grabbed the horns and flipped the Gedoshu onto his back.
Mako backed up as rinshi began to come out of the garden at them.
Takeru quickly fortified as the other Shinkengers ran over in their armor.
"Mako!" Toshizo shouted as he tried to reach her.
Kaoru got excited as she tried to run at the Rinshi before Hikoma grabbed her.
"Nice try."
Quinn and Emily furiously slashed back the bo staffs of a few rinshi before slashing them apart.
A few more ran at them, but Emily painted a wind symbol and blew them back as Quinn hurled her cutter into them.
As this happened Takeru held back Dekker's horns with his katana, the Gedoshu using his sheer power to push Takeru back.
Takeru dropped his sword and curled up as Dekker smashed over him and tripped. The Gedoshu flipping forward before Arkanes and Jack slashed him back with their katanas.
Mako backed up before she felt someone grab her.
She turned to see Hisan, her face turning to its snake form.
"You're coming with me." She said. Mako gave a determined look.
"No I'm not!" She stuck her fingers into Hisan's eyes before Naoto ran over.
"Onesan!" He shouted, tossing Mako a sheathed katana.
This caught Takeru's attention, Quinn's as well.
Mako drew the katana as Hisan drew her shamisen blade. The two exchanged several strikes, Kaoru watching in disbelief.
"Onesan loves to practice kendo." Naoto said.
"Are you fucking kidding me!" Quinn screamed.
Mako held Hisan's blade in place with her katana before Takeru rushed over and kicked her back.
Hisan's blade was caught by Mako while Takeru slashed her. This continuing again as Hisan kept getting slashed.
Takeru drew a fire symbol before slashing through it and filling Hisan with fire, the snake woman crying out in pain.
Quinn slashed back another two rinshi before she noticed none other than Juzo approaching.
"Juzo?"
Hisan landed on her side, breathing deeply.
"My lady!" Dekker shouted before being slashed back by Arkanes and Jack.
"Lend me your Mojikara!" Takeru shouted as the other four Shinkengers rushed over and drew their characters around Takeru. Entei's aura forming over him.
Hisan's eyes widened as she saw Takeru sprint at her , his hand on his sword handle.
Hisan closed her eyes.
There was a flash of white and red, Takeru drawing his katana only to have it get caught by another katana.
Takeru saw another monster in front of him. The monster had white armored skin almost like a monstrous samurai, with areas of red around it like bones , including chest area, and a red skull face over his face.
"What the!?" The others shouted, Takeru was equally confused.
Hisan looked up and saw him.
"Juzo!"
Takeru saw the monster's sword and recognized it.
"Shinken Red, Uramasa is starving. It's time for me to feed her." Takeru recognizing his voice.
"Juzo!" Takeru's katana was forced back before Juzo slashed him twice. Takeru catching the third blow with his katana.
Juzo grabbed Takeru and pulled him closer before bringing his face to his.
"You will be mine, Shinken Red, Lord of Shiba." Juzo leapt up and vanished, Takeru going with him.
"Takeru!" Quinn screamed.
"Lord Shiba!" Hikoma shouted.
Dekker rushed over and helped Hisan up.
"My lady , we must leave." He said before running off with Hisan in his arms.
The others rushed over to where Takeru had been.
"Lord Shiba!" Emily shouted.
"Well at least lady Mako is safe." Toshizo said before Kaoru smacked him, then grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him down.
"You better hope my Onii-Chan is safe!"
"Juzo is a Gedoshu?" Arkanes said.
Mako called her kuroko over.
"Start searching the surrounding area for traces of them."
They nodded before leaving.
"I'm going back to the Leviathan for an airborne view." Hikoma said.
"We should look too." Arkanes said.
"I'll come with you." Mako said.
"No my lady!" Toshizo started before she stopped him.
"A guest in our house is in danger, it's my duty to find him. Besides I'll have four samurai with me."
Quinn wasn't estate about Mako coming, but was more concerned for Takeru.
Elsewhere on the Daitanix, Hisan was in front of Drakkon.
"What? Juzo saved you from Shinken Red?" Battobass said.
"Yes." Hisan said.
"Before he helped the damn samurai, now he's saving us. What's that fool's game?" Zahab said.
"He wanted Shinken Red. He took him somewhere else." Hisan said.
"I should have known."
"What would you have me do?" Hisan asked.
"You're injured, I don't want you dead Hisan. Stay here until you recover. We'll see how this plays out."
"My lord." Dekker said as he came forward and bowed.
"Those damn samurai hurt my lady. I will not allow such an offense to go unpunished. Let me go and bring her their heads."
"Their lord is separated from them, they would be scattered." Battobass said.
"Go if you desire, but Hisan will not be able to use the growth character on you from here."
"I'm aware of the risk." He said before turning to leave.
"Juzo." Drakkon said thinking about him.
Takeru landed in a more open grassy field. He looked around before he was kicked dup and onto his feet.
Takeru granted as he saw Juzo approach him with Uramasa out.
"You're a Gedoshu!?"
Juzo gazed at his katana.
"I never said I wasn't. Shinken Red."
"What do you want?"
He sheathed Uramasa before looking at Takeru again.
"I want you , Shinken Red." Juzo drew Uramasa and began violently slashing at Takeru who did his best to fight back. As skilled as Takeru was, Juzo was something else, his skills seemed morphed, darker, more savage. Takeru did his best to keep up, but Juzo was able to land a few slashes on Takeru.
Juzo flipped Uramasa to its cerated side and pushed it into Takeru before he ducked and moved under him.
Takeru saw in horror as a boulder was slashed in half by Uramasa.
Juzo took a deep breath.
"It's been so long, so long since Uramasa has tasted fighting like this before. We will be satisfied Shinken Red." Juzo said before he resumed, Takeru doing his best to keep up.
Takeru was forced back and drew a fire character. However, as Takeru slashed it, he noticed Juzo rave his hand over Uramasa, white and red mojikara characters forming over it.
This shocked Takeru before Uramasa glowed white and met Takeru's katana, the fire extinguished before Takeru tried to hold Uramasa back.
Juzo flipped Uramasa to its other side and pushed the end forward, slashing Takeru's helmet as he grunted.
Takeru grit his teeth before he rolled backwards and got up, catching Uramasa again.
Elsewhere, the other four Shinkengers and Mako were looking for Takeru.
"Lord Shiba!" Arkanes cried out.
"Takeru!" Quinn shouted.
"I take it you've never encountered that Gedoshu before." Mako said.
"In truth we have, the other day, we encountered him in human form. He was strange, but we never imagined he was a Gedoshu." Arkanes said.
"We need to find Takeru before he kills him." Quinn said sounding very scared.
"We'll find them, I know these grounds well. " Mako said.
"We're glad to have you here my lady." Arkanes said.
She turned back to him.
"I'm surprised Shinken Blue managed to combine the ShinkenOh. In the past only Shinken Red's could do it."
"Well our Lord dedicates himself to the art of the sword. I helped us in a way he did not have the time for."
"Only legendary mojikara users could master it, yet you've done it as such a young age."
"I do what I can for the Shinkengers, and my lord."
Moments later they heard something.
"Do you hear that?" Jack asked.
They turned just in time to see Dekker smashed through them with his horns before stopping beyond them.
"Samurai! You hurt lady Hisan! I won't forgive you for that!" He shouted as several rinshi came up around him.
The rinshi began attacking as Dekker charged at them again with his horns lowered.
They tried to fight off the rinshi, Mako assisting them, but Dekker smashed through the four again.
As Dekker came back, Jack and Emily tried to slash him, but his charge was too strong, their swords were knocked back before they two were smashed away.
Dekker turned and charged at the Shinkengers again. Arkanes tried firing water arrows while Quinn painted a rock character. Dekker smashed through them and knocked the two back.
"Ok this guy's pretty tough." Jack said as they got up.
Mako slashed another rinshi apart before the looked at Dekker again.
"Ahh! Go go his legs!"
Arkanes waited until he got close and then swept low, slashing Dekker's legs as he flipped over him before crashing into the ground.
As Dekker got up, the four samurai furiously slashed him.
Dekker stumbled onto the ground again.
"Fortify me!" Arkanes shouted as the other three painted their characters around Arkanes before Articuno's aura formed around him. Arkanes leapt up and fired an arrow, Articuno following it before the blast hit Dekker.
"Ghana!" Dekker shouted in pain before he surged and exploded.
"Well that takes care of him." Emily said.
"We still need to find Takeru." Quinn said in great concern.
Meanwhile Takeru kept clashing with Juzo. He forced Uramasa up before kicking Juzo back, however, Juzo knocked his katana back and then backhanded Takeru before slashing him onto the ground.
Takeru grunted as he saw Juzo come closer.
"Get up." Juzo said.
"I'm not satisfied yet." Takeru was breathing deeply as he saw Juzo turn Uramasa to its cerated side.
"Not until the marrow in my bones breaks." Before Takeru could get up, Juzo turned to block Quinn's blade.
"Get away from Takeru!" She screamed , Juzo knocking away her strikes before Arkanes and the others joined in.
Juzo knocked away all of their katanas before making more mojikara over Uramasa, a blast of white and red energy forcing them back.
Juzo backed up and turned to Takeru before reverting to his human form.
"It seems we'll have to finish this duel another time Shinken Red. Your skills were serviceable, but Uramasa hungers for more. See that you improve next time." Juzo said before ehe leapt up and vanished.
Takeru de-armored before he nearly fell over.
"Takeru!" Quinn shouted as she sprinted over and caught him.
Takeru was taken back to the Leviathan, where a few kuroko looked over him.
"My lord Shiba, are you sure you're ok?" Hikoma asked.
Takeru put his normal cloths on.
"I'm fine, I just haven't had a sword fight like that in a long time."
"He was obsessed with you my lord."
"I know."
"He was likely one of Drakkon's monsters."
"No, I don't think he was." Takeru said.
"In any case. We have a betrothal to complete."
Hikoma took out a solid gold ring with a large crystal on it.
"This was what your father gave to your mother when they were betrothed."
Takeru looked at the ring and took a deep breath.
"It's for the good of the Shiba house."
They returned to the Asami estate, Hikoma and the others waiting in the other room as Takeru went to see Mako.
"After tonight our houses will unite." Hikoma said.
"He had best treat lady Asami well." Toshizo said.
Arkanes saw the sad look on Quinn's face, the others noticing it as well.
"Quinn." Emily said.
"It was only just a dream. He's a lord, it was never meant to be."
In the other room, Takeru had Typhlosion out beside Takeru as Mako hd a Hitmonchan beside her.
"I guess this is it." Takeru said.
"I guess so." Mako said.
Takeru took out the ring.
He looked at Typhlosion before his pokemon nodded.
Takeru exhaled.
"I'm sorry my lady, but I can't do this."
Mako didn't seem upset.
"Really."
"I just can't, I'm sure you're a very nice woman, and maybe my parents had an arranged marriage. But I just can't do it."
"Whew, no offense lord Shiba, but I wasn't really onboard either."
"You weren't?"
"My parents weren't betrothed, but Toshizo convinced them that I should be. They won't object if I say no. I'd rather be with someone I chose to be with, and there's another I have interest in."
"I know the feeling." Takeru said.
The two came out together.
"So we have a wedding to plan." Hikoma said.
"No, it's not happening." Takeru said.
Hikoma and Toshizo had crestfallen expressions as Quinn felt her heart race.
"What!?"
"We decided it's for the best we don't." Mako said.
Toshizo's face turned red as he ran over and grabbed Takeru.
"You filthy lesser lord! You dare deny lady Asami! You will marry her!" He started before Quinn grabbed him by the neck and shook Toshizo.
"They said they don't want to do it!"
"My lord, are you sure?" Hikoma asked.
"When Onii-Chan sets his mind on something , he see's it through. You'd best drop it Hikoma." Kaoru said.
"I'm sorry we wasted this time." Mako said.
"It's quite alright , it was a privilege to meet you lady Asami." Arkanes said.
"We should get going." Takeru said.
"Very well, but before you go." Mako said before she grabbed Arkanes by the shoulders and kissed him passionately.
Arkanes's face turned red as he gave a dumbstruck expression.
Toshizo's face turned white as he fell backwards unconscious.
"Geez Onesan, you're so embarrassing." Naoto said.
Mako left go of Arkanes, her face a little red now.
"We'll see each other again, Shinken Blue." She said smiling.
Arkanes was shaking.
"Alright let's go lover boy." Jack said grabbing him and taking Arkanes out.
Emily and Kaoru were laughing a little as Hikoma shook his head, Takeru smiling a little too.
Quinn nervously approached Takeru.
"Takeru, why did you say no to her?"
"I don't know her, I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone I don't know."
She smiled a little.
"I think you made the right decision."
They returned to the Leviathan, Takeru laid in his futon looking at the ceiling.
"Juzo."
Miles away, Juzo sat near a camp fire as he looked at Uramasa.
"Shinken Red."
Author's note
Yeah I was looking forward to this chapter
Arkanes has a love interest now,
We have learned more about the first shinkengers, and Juzo has shown his other half, but is that all of his secrets
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask(VIA PM)