Rider: Konnichi-wa Minna-san! Sorry about the lack of updates lately, but, well, life is odd in that it never goes the way you want.

Star: Well well, Mister I always plan ahead forgot to study for mid terms. You loser!

Rider: Shut up…

Wraiths: She does have a point dude. Much as I hate to admit it…

Rider: I hate you all. (shakes head) Anyway, mail.

To Hanku, glad you like. And there's nothing wrong with being a sci-fi channel nerd.

To KylaranAeldin, I hope you didn't explode to bad. Yes, people will learn some stuff, sorry if that's a bad thing. And, not to ruin the surprise, but if you liked the Erika-Aijou rivalry…Never mind…not going to tell yet…

To Watanuki, Yes. That's all I'm going to say for now.

To Shadic the Hedgehog, You have someone who wouldn't mind me? (Rider falls over dead) That just sounds so sad on my part that someone would have to "not mind me". Oh well…Hope you enjoy the story.

Rider: Ok, see everyone at the end.

ooooo

Disclaimer: (wraiths steals the laptop, evil laughter ensues) I now control the story! I am the Dark God of Death and you will obey my commands! First…(Ginryuu enters and swallows wraiths) Rider: Sorry folks. Love Hina's not mine, but the OC's are, so please don't use unless you ask first. I'm a nice guy, I'll probably let you anyway.

Change of Hearts

Chapter Eleven: A Revelation and…a Date?

The dust from the broken wall slid of Shinichi's clothes as he slowly stood. "I also don't let my father hit me either." He focused on the man who had struck him, Erika's father, Lamba Lu. "Last chance to walk away."

Lamba was calm as always. "I decline."

A small grin slowly widened across Shinichi's face. "Good, I hoped you'd say that. You're going down."

Lamba shrugged his shoulders. "I have nothing to fear from you."

Shinichi grinned. "We'll see." He closed his eyes, and reached out with his senses. He grasped the first strand of energy. "One." Another strand. "Two." And the final strand. "Three." He nodded his head as the three energies began to pulse at different paces, yet blended harmoniously. "Here we go."

Lamba turned ever so slightly as Shinichi charged him. His left hand came up and caught Shinichi in the ribs, lifting him off the ground a bit.

Shinichi pushed off the balls of his feet and added to his lift significantly. He grasped Lamba's shirt and flipped up and over the older man. As he fell behind Lamba, he spun and kicked Lamba in the back. As the monarch stumbled forward, Shinichi landed into a low crouch and kicked Lamba's feet out from under him. Shinichi stood quickly, and grabbed the back of Lamba's shirt just before pushing him forward to pin him into the ground. Shinichi then moved up and wrapped one arm around Lamba's neck from behind while using his other arm as the brace point. He settled in to let his choke hold finish the fight. "No way you're getting out of this. Submit, before you get hurt." He sweat dropped as Lamba slowly stood back up.

Lamba grabbed the arm around his own neck with one hand and reached back to grasp the back of Shinichi's head. Lamba then leaned forward and flipped Shinichi over his shoulders. The young boy landed on his back on the floor, and Lamba placed on hand over Shinichi's neck while pinning his shoulders with his knees. Having reversed the chokehold Lamba looked down at his captive. "My kingdom is mostly desert, plagued with sandstorms. To breath in those dust filled winds is most unpleasant. I assure you that I can hold my breath longer then you can." He paused as he realized that Shinichi had made no attempt to struggle free, in fact Shinichi was grinning.

"Are you so sure of that?" Shinichi asked. He brought his legs up as though he was going into a backwards roll, and planted both of his knees into the larger man's back, knocking Lamba off of him. Once free of Lamba's pin, Shinichi flipped to his feet and turned. "You're not the only one who's trained in harsh climates."

Aijou watched at the two men began to trade blows again. She pulled Inari aside and whispered into her friend's ear. "Is this what he was like the other night?"

Inari shook her head. "No, he was stone, cold, serious during that fight." She turned to study Shinichi's movements. "He seems almost playful here."

"Playful?" Aijou watched as Shinichi continued to fight with Erika's father. "Erika's…" She glanced over at the bronze skinned girl. "Could it be that Shinichi…?"

Shinichi leaned back as Lamba tried to punch him. "Too slow." He dragged the words out like a broken record. He shifted to the left, seeming to glide out of the way of Lamba's right kick. "Oh, so close." He brought up his arms to block Lamba's next kick. "Almost."

Mai was nervous that there was a fight going on right in front of her eyes, but she was also a bit relieved. She sighed and let her muscles relax. "Thank goodness."

Kam turned to Mai. "Thank goodness for what?" He scratched at his back anxiously. He remembered the night that Shinichi had hit him full force. While it was true that Shinichi had used his ki to heal his scars, Kam could still remember the pierce of the barbwire from back at the warehouse. "We're going to have a repeat of the other night."

Mai shook her head. "No. Onii-chan is in control now."

"He's in control?" Kam blinked and turned back to the fight. "I guess…he does seem a little different. Like during training…"

Mai nodded. "It seems so." She sighed again. "I'm not sure why, but I'm glad."

Hana pulled out her camera and began shooting.

"What are you taking pictures for?" Toshi asked confused.

Hana smiled and shrugged, somehow without losing the focus on her camera. "My memory isn't always so good. So I take lots of pictures, to help me remember later."

Toshi went back to studying the fight. "What if you don't want to remember the past?"

Hana lowered the camera. "Even if they're sad memories, they're still my memories. I wouldn't give them up for anything."

Erika also watched as Shinichi fought with her father. Her normally animated personality had been shell-shocked into silence.

Amalla picked up her tea cup and took a leisurely sip, seeming not to care about the goings on around her.

Shinichi yawned, and promptly fell backwards as Lamba's fist hit him in the mouth. He sat up and rubbed his lip, feeling blood. He paused and seemed to look around, even though his eyes were still closed. "I've let this go on to long. This needs to stop Lamba."

Lamba still stood almost completely relaxed. He was breathing a little harder, but if he was feeling anything else, he didn't show it. "Enough bluffing. You've been on the defensive since you're first attack. You can't beat me."

Shinichi shook his head, as though disappointed. "You really don't get it do you?" He stood slowly. "You're just like him." He brought his arms in front of his body so that his fist rested just before his hips. "I don't know how to make you see…" Dark ki began to surround him.

Aijou panicked. "We should stop him. Shouldn't we?"

Inari shook her head. "I think we're ok." She shrugged as Aijou stared at her. "He used that ki when we were tailing the Yakuza. It's not that mess we saw the other night."

The darkness continued to grow around Shinichi. "Even if you are her father, I won't let you force your choices on Erika." He smiled. "You should feel honored though Lamba. This is the first time I'm going to use this technique." He took a deep breath. "Kokuei-ryu, Fusion of Shadow Techniques."

Lamba blinked as Shinichi vanished without a trace. "Where'd he go?"

Inari grinned. "Shadow Walk."

Kam looked on confused as Lamba's arms violently twisted behind him. "What is going on?"

Lamba had no choice but to turn as he felt something pulling on his arms. He spun in place until he faced Erika. He looked over his shoulders as Shinichi reappeared. "Unhand me you…"

"Shut up." Shinichi ordered. He waited as Lamba struggled. "This is called 'Grip of the Shadow Demon'. You're not going to escape my grasp." He forced Lamba to turn toward Erika. "Look at her. She's freaking out of her mind right now because of us. Please, just let this stop."

Lamba continued to try to break free. "You clearly have the advantage now. Just finish the fight and claim your victory."

"Ahou!"

The others watched, started, as Shinichi spun Lamba around and landed a strong, downward punch into Lamba's mouth.

Aijou gasped as she saw Shinichi's eyes opened. The green and whites were still visible, but clouded over with a film of darkness. Despite the darkness, his eyes burned with anger.

Shinichi glared at Lamba. He had hit the older man hard enough to drop him to his knees, but other than that, he was fine. "Ahou! There can be no victory here!" The darkness faded from Shinichi's eyes. "Why do people like you never see what's right in front of you?" He turned and walked away.

Lamba rubbed his jaw, surprised. "Why?"

"There's no reason to fight any more." Shinichi opened the front door and started to leave. "Now why don't you try being Erika's dad, instead of just her father."

The others watched in silence as he left.

ooooo

Aijou climbed up over the railing around the roof deck and walked slowly to where Shinichi sat. "You ok?"

Shinichi shrugged.

Aijou sat down. "Erika's been in her room talking with her parents for the past few hours. We haven't heard any yelling, so I guess she's doing ok in there."

Shinichi nodded.

"That was kind of brave what you did." Aijou pulled her knees up to her chest. "Kind of stupid too, but still kind of brave." She stopped as she saw her words were falling on deaf ears. She laid her head on her knees and waited.

Shinichi sighed. "There was nothing brave about it."

"You stuck up for Erika." Aijou stated. "That's got to count for something."

"I may have started that for Erika, but…" He trailed off.

"But what Shin?" Aijou prodded.

"That's not why I continued, not why I finished it." Shinichi sighed and lay back on the roof.

"You stopped it because you saw how scared Erika was." Aijou pointed out.

Shinichi turned away. "Doesn't feel that way."

Aijou mulled over his words in his mind as she thought back to the fight. "Shin?" She paused, wondering if she should ask him what was on her mind. "What happened between you and Uncle Ken?" She winced inwardly as Shinichi turned further away from her.

"Do I get to ask you a question?"

Aijou's head came up a bit. "Nani?"

Shinichi sat up and faced Aijou. "If I answer your question, do I get to ask you one?"

Aijou was kind of nervous as to what Shinichi might ask her, but nodded. "Honest answers on both sides though."

Shinichi nodded. "Nothing happened between me and my father."

Aijou started to get mad again. "You said you would answer honestly."

"I am." Shinichi turned away.

Aijou shook her head. "I don't get it."

Shinichi sighed. "He's not home more often than he is home. So nothing happens. We don't talk. We don't hear from him. The only time we see him is if he's on T.V. or something." He leaned forward, barely staying balanced on the roof. "Then when he does come home he tells us about his time away. All things he's done. What he's going to do. What he wants us to do. And then…"

Aijou gasped as Shinichi fell off the roof. "Shin!" She looked over the side and saw Shinichi hanging from the roof edge.

"And then he just disappears again." Shinichi swung his legs and flipped back up to the roof.

Aijou took a deep breath to try to slow her heart. She reached out and smacked Shinichi in the back of the head. "Don't do that again!"

Shinichi grinned sheepishly. "Gomen."

Aijou couldn't help but smile a bit in return, but it soon faded. "So you hate your dad because he's never there for you?"

"I don't know my father enough to hate him for myself." Shinichi replied coldly.

Aijou noted how he stressed the word father, rather than say dad. "Then why do you hate him so much?"

"I hate him because when Mai started having nightmares, she woke up screaming for 'Papa', and he wasn't there to rock her back to sleep." Shinichi brought his hands, now fists, into his lap. "I hate him because my mom cries herself to sleep at night because he's not there for her. I hate him because my family needs him to just be there and he's not." He brought his fist down into the roof, breaking some of the tiles. "I hate him because he's more interested in playing the big rock star than taking care of his wife and daughter!"

"What about you?" Aijou asked. "Aren't you mad that he's not there for you?"

"I can take care of myself." Shinichi brought his hands back into his lap. "I don't need him."

Aijou looked out over the city for some time. She now understood why Shinichi was so protective of Mai. Why he put himself on the line for the café owner. Why he stood up for Erika. Why he looked out for all of them, even if it was something as simple as making bento-boxes every morning. "We're here for you Shin, you don't always have to be the strong one."

Shinichi looked over. "What?"

Aijou pounded Shinichi's head. "I'm trying to be nice to you, and you aren't even paying attention!"

Shinichi rubbed his head, though he didn't seem as bothered this time. "Sorry." He looked back out over the city.

Aijou sighed. "He's back in the dumps again." She whispered to herself. She gave Shinichi a gentle shove. "Didn't you have a question for me?"

Shinichi looked at her confused. "Oh, yeah, I guess…"

"You guess?" Aijou face faulted.

Shinichi grinned. "I thought that maybe you'd get scared that I'd ask something to personal and wouldn't ask me a question."

Aijou sat back up again. "So you don't have a question for me?"

Shinichi though about it for a moment. "Actually…"

"Shinichi-kun?"

The young man turned, with a small amount of apprehension readable in his body language. "How'd it go Erika?"

Erika fidgeted nervously. "I…" She looked over at Aijou. "Could I speak with Shinichi-kun alone Aijou?"

Aijou nodded. She stood and began to leave the roof. Erika never asked someone else for permission to be around Shinichi, so something must have really upset her.

"Aijou?" Erika called out nervously. "Thanks."

The elder Urashima turned. "For what?"

"For letting me stay." Erika looked down at the roof. "I just showed up out of the blue like my parents did. I don't even remember if you even invited me to stay after the fact, I just made myself at home." She looked up again and forced a smile. "So, I'm sorry to impose, and thank you for letting me stay." She bowed deeply to Aijou.

Aijou was more then a little confused by Erika's behavior at this point. "Sure, no problem. You're welcome to stay as long as you like."

Erika bowed again before going to sit next to Shinichi

Aijou continued to walk to the edge of the roof. As she headed down the stairs that lead to the roof-deck, she passed Amalla Su. She stopped and turned. "You're going to take her home. Aren't you?"

Amalla turned her head, and only very slightly. "I'm afraid I can't say what our family will be doing."

Aijou turned away. "Guess it doesn't matter where you are. Parents all over the world think that they always know best, even when they don't know anything at all."

Unbeknownst to Aijou, Amalla turned a bit more to watch the girl walk away. Amalla smiled, and whispered. "It would seem you've made some very good friends here Erika."

Aijou entered her room and sat down on her windowsill like she did every night. She sighed heavily and looked up into the starry sky. "This isn't how it was supposed to go…"

ooooo

Erika sat down and let her legs dangle over the edge of the roof. She looked down at the ground far below, and remained silent for a long time. "Shinichi-kun?"

The boy turned his head. He knew that Erika was a mess right now, he had stretched out his senses when he saw her and immediately felt how jumbled her ki was. Shinichi had decided to let Erika be the first to speak, least he say the wrong thing and further upset her. "Yeah?"

"Thank you, for trying to help me." Erika finally said.

"For trying?" Shinichi felt his face becoming hot with anger. "You mean he's still going to force you to go home!"

"It's not quite that simple, but…" Erika bowed her head in a silent admission. She heard rustling and saw Shinichi starting to stand.

"Stupid, moronic, pea-brained…" Shinichi had planned to go down and throttle Lamba within an inch of his life, but stopped when he felt Erika take his hand into her own. He looked down and saw that there were tears in Erika's eyes threatening to spill over.

"Please, don't go." Erika pleaded. "I would like my last night here to be a happy one."

Shinichi blinked. "Last night?" He again felt his anger begin to rise, but it was quickly quelled as his compassion for Erika over took it. He sat down next to Erika again. "There's really nothing more that can be done?"

Erika's body began to shake as she tried not to cry. She looked down again, not wanting to have Shinichi see her cry. "Nothing. We talked and…"

Shinichi lifted Erika's head. "What do you want?"

Erika blinked. "What do I?" She shook her head. "It doesn't matter what I want. I have to…"

"The only thing you have to do is die after a nice long life." Shinichi cut her off. "Everything else is a choice."

"I don't have a choice!" Erika finally broke down and began to cry openly. "I don't want to go! But I don't have a choice!" As her body became racked with sobs, anything else she said became unintelligible.

Shinichi reached out and placed an arm around Erika's shoulders, pulling her close to him. He didn't say anything, there was nothing he could say right now that would help her. He simply held her and let her cry into his shoulder. He noted with some surprise that despite the almost four years difference between them, she was still a bit smaller then he was. Somehow he found this strangely comforting, and since Erika shakes seemed to be subsiding slowly, he wondered if that made any difference to her.

Erika wasn't sure how long she cried for, but she knew it had to have been a long time because Shinichi's shirt was soaked with her tears. At last, she pulled away from him. "I'm sorry…"

"For what?"

"For being such a baby." Erika looked down at the ground. "Crying because I can't do what I want."

"You keep saying that you can't do things." Shinichi leaned back a bit. "Why?"

Erika didn't look up. "It's because, I'm a princess."

"So?" Shinichi laughed.

Erika's head darted up. "So? So!" She turned and looked at Shinichi in mixed confusion and anger. "So that means that I have to be queen one day! I have a responsibility to lead my people!"

Shinichi nodded. "So?"

Erika couldn't understand what Shinichi was trying to do. She started to get upset, tears again began to form.

Shinichi saw this and pressed on. "So what if you're going to be queen someday? You're mom's queen right now. So why do you have to go home?"

"Because…" Erika paused. Why did she have to go home? "I…I have to watch everything in the kingdom. So I'll know how to act when I'm queen. Mommy is always telling me how important her duties are as queen and that one day when I take over I will have to be more responsible and proper and…and…and…" She turned to Shinichi again and grabbed him by the shirt. "It's no fun being queen! It's not even much fun being a princess! Always having to hear about and solve other peoples problems! Being nice even if you don't want to be! Having everyone tell you what you want to hear rather than the truth! It's…it's…"

"It's not the life you want." Shinichi waited until Erika let go of his shirt, then put his arm back around her shoulders. "So? The question now is, what are you going to do to make it the life you want?" He paused as he saw the confused look on Erika's face. "When you rule, it's going to be much different then if your mom or dad were ruling." He smiled. "But that's ok. Know why?"

Erika shook her head.

"Because Erika is not Lamba. Erika is not Amalla." Shinichi replied. "Erika is Erika. She has to do what's right for her." He grinned devilishly. "And screw anybody else that stands in your way of that."

Erika smiled. "I wish that you had told me that before." She looked up at the stars. "I promised that if I got to spend one last night with you, I'd go home in the morning." She leaned her head against Shinichi's shoulder. "I don't want to leave, but it wouldn't be right for me to break a promise."

Shinichi nodded. "I guess not. I'm still a little sad that your leaving, but at least now you won't leave with tears on your face." He looked up at the stars with Erika. "I just wish there was a way I could help you stay here."

"Oh how cute!"

The two children jumped and turned to the sound of the voice. They stopped as they saw Amalla standing a few feet back on the roof.

Amalla smiled. "You two are still so cute together. Just like when you were children."

Shinichi scratched his head. "Ok, I'm going to sound dumb, but what are you talking about? You keep saying things like you know me, but we've never met before."

Amalla frowned a little bit. "You don't remember when you came to Molmol?"

"Molmol?" Shinichi leaned his head down in thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Erika with a look of deep seated sadness on her face. She had that look earlier too, before the fight with Lamba. But, that look sparked a memory much further back. "A funeral." He looked back up at Amalla. "My old man took me to a funeral for someone important I think."

"My father." Amalla nodded. "Do you remember the trip?"

Shinichi shook his head. "Not much."

Amalla walked over and sat down on the edge of the roof. She patted the ground, inviting the two tanned children to sit again. "Then let me help you to remember."

Shinichi sat down. He was a little surprised when Erika sat down and leaned against him. "I remember a little bit now that you brought it up. The old man just suddenly decided we needed to go to Molmol to pay our respects when we heard on the news that he died. Don't really remember much more then that."

"You don't remember how upset Erika was?" Amalla asked. "She was so sad that she ran away from the funeral service in tears."

Shinichi shook his head.

"I ran all the way to the central gardens." Erika stopped as she saw the confused look in Shinichi's eyes. "It was about two or three miles from the burial site."

Amalla nodded. "The death of a loved one is hard on a nine-year old girl. I wanted to run after her, comfort her. I almost did, but you beat me to it."

Shinichi lifted his head a bit. "Oh yeah. I saw her go running away, and I was so bored standing in that long line I ran after her thinking she was going to play somewhere." He grinned. "Made my old man so angry."

Erika laughed lightly. "I was in my favorite tree, crying when you found me. I wanted to be alone so I told you to leave or I'd throw you into the dungeon."

Shinichi blinked in surprise.

"I wouldn't actually do that!" Erika quickly amended. "But you wouldn't leave." Her voice fell a bit. "So I…"

Shinichi tried to think back to that time as Erika trailed off, as though she were trying to hide something. He jumped a bit as the memory came back. "You pushed me out of that tree!"

Erika cringed and began to panic. "I'm sorry."

Shinichi laughed at how she reacted. "I'm pretty sure I landed on my head, so I guess it's ok."

Amalla laughed a bit. "You didn't think so at the time. You were in the hospital for two days unconscious. When you woke up, you were quite mad with Erika."

"I was?" Shinichi asked surprised.

Erika nodded, an embarrassed flush evident even against her dark skin. "Yeah, you tried to be nice and play with me, and I hurt you real bad." She smiled again. "But you forgave me really quick and I showed you all over the palace before you went home."

Shinichi looked out over the lights of Hinata, he frowned a bit. "There was more to that trip though…that memory."

Amalla nodded sadly. "Yes, there was more."

Erika looked back and forth between Shinichi and her mother. "There was? What was it?"

"It was…" Amalla began.

"It was something I had forgotten until now." Shinichi cut off.

Amalla nodded, knowing that Shinichi didn't want to bring the subject up.

Erika looked between the other two people again. "You're hiding something." She glared at Shinichi.

Shinichi nodded, and smiled. "Yep, but thanks to you jogging my memory. I have an idea now."

"An idea for what?" Erika asked.

Shinichi stood. "You'll see in the morning."

"Wait!" Erika leaned forward as Shinichi pushed himself off the roof and landed on the ground four floors below. She glared as the boy ran off into the night. "Shinichi-kun! You know I can't jump that far!"

Amalla smiled as her daughter ran for the steps. She turned back and looked up at the moon. "It is so nice to see that they get along better then their parents do." She sighed and headed for the stairs. "It was so nice to see Shinichi's father at the funeral, but Lamba took so much of father's lessons to heart." She sighed again as she entered her room. "It's sad that I can't see my cousin, but at least Erika was able to see hers for a short time." She dressed for bed and lay down. She was not at all surprised to see that Lamba was already fast asleep. As her eyes closed, she wondered what Shinichi had planned for tomorrow.

ooooo

Breakfast the next morning was a quiet one. Everyone made the usual comments to complement Mai's cooking, but it was much more subdued then usual.

Erika sat between her parents and ate slowly, something she never did. She looked over at her father. Aside from the frustration of not being able to use his chopsticks with any proficiency, he seemed impassive as usual. Erika looked over at her mother as she made small talk with Toshi and Kam. She continued to look around the table.

Aijou and Mai were talking quietly. Judging by the way that Mai kept stealing glances at Erika, Mai seemed scared that Erika was going to be taken away and never allowed to return. Erika looked down a bit, that wasn't to far from the truth. She continued around the table.

Inari was staring at Lamba. While she ate with her left hand, her right hand was on the table. Her free hand was opening and closing into a fist slowly, electricity racing around it. She looked over at Erika and nodded ever so slightly to Lamba as the electricity around her hand suddenly flared.

Erika shook her head to decline the silent, though not quite hidden offer. She did want to stay, but not if another fight had to break out to do it. Besides, she had told Shinichi that she wasn't going to break her promise. Her eyes came to rest on Hana. The young woman was a cheerful as always. Erika wondered if she even knew what was going on at this point. Finally, she came to the last chair. Shinichi's chair. She wanted to cry as she gazed at the empty seat. Before long breakfast was finished.

"It is time for us to leave." Lamba announced as he stood. He bowed to Aijou and Kam respectively. "Thank you for allowing us to stay the night."

Kam simply nodded.

Aijou glared at Lamba. "I did it for Erika's sake, not yours."

Lamba nodded, though seeming not to care, and began to turn away.

"Lamba-dono?" Mai's small voice called out.

The monarch turned. "Yes, little one?"

Mai looked down at the ground. "I know that you want Erika to go home with you, but…" She looked up, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "But we want Erika to stay here! She's part of our family here! Please let her stay!"

Lamba smiled. "You are quite a dependable friend to my daughter. I thank you for your kind words, but that can't be done." His smile faded. "I refuse to let my daughter be corrupted by that boy."

Mai's expression changed for a moment as Lamba's words angered her. "Onii-chan doesn't corrupt anyone! He might be more direct than I am, but he's still a good person!"

"Onii-chan?" Lamba looked between Mai and Erika.

Erika nodded. "Mai-chan is Shinichi-kun's little sister, sir."

Lamba turned to Mai again. He did not smile this time. "I see." He turned and walked away.

Erika turned to her friends as her parents left the dinning room. "Well, I guess this is goodbye you guys." She turned to follow her parents. "I don't know if I'll get to see you guys again, but I'll try. Ok?"

"Erika!" Aijou yelled at the retreating girl. "Damn it Erika! If you walk away now, it's hardly going to be a fair fight! This isn't how I wanted to win!"

Erika stopped for a moment. "Don't worry Aijou. I'm not going to just let you win." She turned her head back and flashed a quick smile. "Shinichi-kun is to important to me to just walk away completely. I'm just going to give you some time without my competition to level the field!"

Aijou stared in shock.

"This isn't how I wanted to win?" Inari questioned mockingly. "I thought you said you didn't like that ass."

"Aijou? Do you really like onii-chan?" Mai asked nervously.

Kam shook his head, as did Toshi.

Hana laughed and clapped her hands. "How wonderful! Now we just have to tell Shin-kun so we can start planning the wedding!"

"All of you shut up!" Aijou screamed. "I don't like him! I only said that to try and make Erika mad and get her to stay!" She ran for the front door and stopped as she saw that Erika and her family had stopped just out side the Hinata-sou. "Nani?" She looked around them and saw Shinichi standing at the top of the stairs that lead to the street. He stood so that he blocked the path. His arms were crossed over his chest and a large, black, case rested by his feet.

Shinichi grinned smugly. "You screwed up Lamba. You got so mad at me that you forgot protocol and screwed up big time."

Lamba stepped forward. "And how is it that I screwed up, as you put it?"

Shinichi smiled. "Aunt Su came to visit us every once in awhile."

"You do not have the right to call her that!" Lamba almost barked, showing his anger for the first time since his arrival.

Shinichi started to walk forward. "She'd tell us all about her travels all over the world with Aunt Motoko. I was surprised at how many rules there are to follow when a member of the Molmolian Royal Family goes to visit someone in another country. For example, they can not have their guards with them cause they might not be aware of a custom or law and start an international incident by accident."

"What is your point in all of this?" Lamba demanded.

Shinichi continued, ignoring Lamba. "There is one that says when eating with a ruler or leader of equal stature, the Molmolian can't eat until the other person begins. I've never understood that one."

"Get to the point."

"My personal favorite is the one that when any member of the Royal Family, especially the king, is supposed to present a gift to the person their visiting immediately." Shinichi looked around Lamba to Aijou. "Did he give you anything?"

Aijou shook her head in the negative.

Shinichi sighed, his plan rested on that gamble, luckily it paid of. "Tell me Lamba, what happens when the king forgets about that rule?"

Lamba attempted to keep his face neutral, but his anger could be seen in his eyes. "He must honor any request of the person who he visits." Lamba continued to glare at Shinichi.

Shinichi nodded. "Will you honor that custom now?" He waited until Lamba nodded. "Then, I ask that you allow Erika to stay here at the Hinata-sou if that is what she wants to do."

"Same for me." Aijou seconded.

Lamba continued to glare at Shinichi as he heard the other members of the house ask the same thing.

Erika smiled and almost began to cry as the others supported her.

Amalla walked over and gently placed her hand on Lamba's shoulder. "It would seem they have us."

Lamba shrugged off Amalla's touch and turned to his daughter. "Is this what you want? To stay here?"

Erika nodded. "Yes, sir. I do."

Lamba turned away. "Very well. I release you from your promise to return home." He walked toward the stairs, preparing to leave.

"Lamba!" Shinichi called. "We're not done here."

Lamba turned to face Shinichi again. "You are trying my patience now boy."

Shinichi picked up the black case by the stairs. "Shut up and listen for a change." He held out the case to Lamba. "Since I'm quoting your rules back at you, I think its only fair that I follow them as well. I walked away from our fight yesterday, a serious breach of honor, I compensate you for it now."

Lamba looked at the outstretched case. "What is this?"

"My life forces me to travel light." Shinichi locked eyes with Lamba. "Your customs state that something of considerable value must be turned over if a fighter walks away from an unfinished fight. This is all I have, this is all I can submit to you."

Lamba was surprised by the fact that Shinichi was so well versed in the customs of Molmol. He had been considering leaving Shinichi holding his gift, in an attempt to shame him. Now he though differently. He took the case and opened it.

Erika gasped as she saw the golden shine of Shinichi's saxophone. "He's giving that up for me?"

Aijou nodded, with mixed feelings. "Yeah, that's just the kind of guy he is. Sacrificing of himself for his friends."

Lamba closed the case again, and nodded knowingly. "I accept your gift." He began to descend the long steps. "But I still do not approve of you."

"Lamba. Whatever your beef with my old man is, leave me out of it. Erika too for that matter." Shinichi turned to watch Lamba walking away. "Not that I care what you think of me, but just what are you not approving of me for?"

Lamba turned, a look of confusion mixed with shock on his face. "Are you not aware? My daughter has chosen you for her suitor. Are you not defending her so that two may one day be married?"

"Married?" Shinichi face faulted. "What the hell? I'm not even thirteen! I've never even had a girlfriend! No way I'm getting married for a good long while!" Shinichi started yelling at Lamba. "I gave you a fight payment! Not an engagement gift!"

Amalla smiled. "So you defended her because you are just friends?"

"Yeah!"

Lamba studied Shinichi again, and then walked away. Once out of earshot of the children, he turned to his wife. "Perhaps…your father was mistaken in his assessment of our kin."

Amalla smiled, walking on. "Perhaps one day, you will tell them that face to face."

Lamba nodded. "Perhaps." He turned as he heard shouts from up above the stairs.

"No! I'm not getting married!" Shinichi screamed. "I'm not! Where's my stuff? I'm leaving! You people are all deranged!"

"Shinichi-kun! Don't run away!" Erika pleaded. "I promise I'll be a very good wife for you!"

"He doesn't want you! So back off you spaz!" Aijou yelled.

"Onii-chan!" Mai yelled. "Can I be the flower girl at your wedding?"

"Not you too imouto!" Shinichi cried.

"This is entertaining, seeing the ass squirm like this." Came Inari's voice.

"And all the photos I can get from this!" Hana squealed.

"No!" Shinichi wailed.

"How come he gets all the attention?" Kam asked in a sulky tone.

"You really want that kind of attention?" Questioned Toshi.

"Maybe not…" Kam admitted.

"I can't take this anymore!"

Lamba watched as Shinichi sprinted past him, with the rest of the household close behind. He watched as the smiling youths ran into the city. "Yes, perhaps I will tell them someday." He walked on with Amalla and headed for home.

ooooo

A figure in a hooded black trench coat was watching the Hinata-sou from afar. He was not pleased. "I had thought informing the foreign monarchs of the location of their missing daughter would be fodder enough to pull them apart." He scratched his chin. "But they are indeed resourceful, and now closer then ever."

He paused to think. "Still, this exercise was most informative. Besides, the stronger their bonds are now, the more devastating the break will be when they are pulled apart." He studied the Hinata-sou residents as the came home. "That one. That one is next." He smiled, and rubbed his finger against his chin. "And I know just how to do it too." He then vanished without a trace.

ooooo

"Onii-chan?" Mai entered her brother's room and sat beside him at his small table. "How come your studying alone tonight?"

Shinichi looked up and smiled. "I can't rely on Aijou's help forever. Have to try to use my brain once and a while."

Mai nodded. "Onii-chan?"

"Hai?"

"I miss Mama and Papa." Mai looked down at the table. "I've been having so much fun with everyone here that I guess I haven't noticed until now just how much I miss them. But seeing Erika with her parents…"

Shinichi pushed his books away and placed an arm around his sister's shoulders. "I'm sorry kiddo. I'm so used to being away, I didn't notice." He paused. "If you want, I can set you up on a flight home."

Mai looked up at her brother. "Are you coming too?"

Shinichi shook his head. "Not yet…"

"Then I'll stay too." Mai answered quickly. "But…I just wish I could hear their voices for a while."

Shinichi thought about it for a moment. "Well, I don't know where the old man is, but…" He stood and motioned for Mai to follow him. They came to the main phone in the Hinata-sou living room. Shinichi picked up the phone and dialed the numbers. He held the phone out to Mai. "It should connect in a few moments."

Mai looked at her brother, a bit surprised. "But…What if they trace the call and come to take us home?"

Shinichi shrugged. "We'll deal with that if and when it happens." He smiled. "Let me worry about that stuff. You just talk with mom for as long as you like."

Mai took the phone. "Thank you, Onii-chan." She looked on sadly as he turned and walked away. "Don't you want to talk with Mama?"

Shinichi paused. "I do…but I can't. Not yet. Just…say hello for me or something." He started to walk away again.

Mai nodded as the phone connected. "Mama?"

ooooo

Inari walked across the roof and sat on the edge. "I talked to Yukimura today."

Shinichi groaned. "You didn't say anything did you?"

"I told her she was a bitch." Inari answered honestly. "Why'd you let her treat you like that?"

Shinichi shrugged. "It's her restaurant, she can do what she wants with it."

Inari shook her head. "How is it that you can take on a ruler of a sovereign nation, but you let a café owner walk all over you?"

Shinichi turned to Inari. "What did Kanno-san tell you?" He smiled as he saw Inari shift in discomfort. "She said she was scared of me. I don't want to put her through any more trouble."

"You probably saved her life!" Inari yelled. "Letting you keep your job would be the least she could do!"

Shinichi shook his head. "She gave me a job when no one else would, I owed her." He smiled. "The debt is repaid, so I'm ok with that."

Inari sighed. "You have a strange value system."

Shinichi's smile widened. "Yeah, but it works." He stood. "I think I'm going to call it a night."

Inari turned as Shinichi walked away. "Hey?"

Shinichi stopped. "What's up?"

"Christmas is in a couple weeks." Inari began. "I need to go pick up some gifts. I was wondering…if maybe… you could help me pick out some things for the others?"

Shinichi blinked. He was the last person he would have though that Inari would have asked for help. He nodded. "Sure. After school tomorrow?"

Inari nodded. "Sure." She looked away. "Good night."

Shinichi wondered why Inari was acting so weird and went inside. "Night."

End

ooooo

Star: Is Ginryuu ok?

Rider: He just has some indigestion. (turns to readers) Ok people, you know the deal here. Please leave a little something if you have the time, to comment on the work here. Till the next, live well all.

Star: I've never seen a silver dragon turn green…Oh! Bye! (turns to walk away) Rider? What did he eat?

Rider: Wraiths.

Star: Oh…what?