Lost and Found Chapter 7:

Discussions

"What about their positions?" Hideki asked.

"I assume you're planning on marrying Yume?" Koni asked.

"Hai, she said yes," Hideki said.

"I can see no harm in that," Koni said. "Yume can become your wife, and things will continue on for you both as would be expected."

"I sense there's a 'but' in there somewhere," Hideki commented.

"Yes," Koni said. "Normally we would, at some point, ask you if you thought that your firstborn child was fit to be leader, be it a girl or a boy. However, you don't have just one firstborn child; Yume gave birth to twins. Considering how close they are, it doesn't seem right to have just one be the leader. That would put a strain on their relationship. Do you have a suggestion for what should be done?"

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I have an idea," Pai said. Koni nodded, and Pai continued, "When I studied our history, there were at least two similar cases to this one; the leader of our people had firstborn twins. The first case ended badly; the twin boys were continually fighting, and eventually the Council had to choose someone else. In the second case, however, it was a pair of fraternal twins; a girl and a boy. They were able to jointly lead our people while continuing to get along. That case seems to me like our current situation; twins who have an unshakable bond, and therefore could lead our people together. I don't believe there is anything in our laws that says there can't be more than one leader, is there?"

"There isn't anything specific, but it's not encouraged," Koni said. "The Council had a discussion about this before we heard that Hideki-sama actually does have children, and came to an almost unanimous decision on a different candidate."

"I don't like where this is going…." Kisshu said.

Koni sighed. "The Council decided that Kisshu would be the best choice to succeed you, Hideki-sama. Only Yumemi-sama disagreed."

"Well, she was right," Kisshu said. "I'd be a DISASTER!"

"The only reason I said that was that you had let a tank of lizards loose in your school the day before, and one of them turned into a Chimera Anima," Yumemi said.

"Wait, the Council decided I'd be the best choice for leader when I was EIGHT!?" Kisshu asked incredulously.

"Koni, that does seem a bit early to decide something like that," Hideki commented. "And undefeated warrior or not, I seem to recall every last teacher at the school saying, "Kisshu's a nightmare!""

"We all thought he'd mature, and I think we were right," Koni said.

"Kisshu hasn't matured," Taruto said suddenly. "He spent the time we weren't attacking stalking Ichigo and sleeping in the tree outside her window."

"I don't deny the stalking, but the only reasons I was sleeping in her tree were that you were on sugar high, and Pai was in my other favorite tree," Kisshu said.

"You couldn't share the tree Pai was in?" Taruto asked.

"Not with him shooting lightning at me," Kisshu said dryly. "I may be reckless, but I'm NOT stupid. And Ichigo's tree wasn't too uncomfortable."

"Why didn't you just ask me to let you in?" Ichigo asked.

"At the time, you hated me," Kisshu said.

"Why?" Ichigo asked, puzzled. "You're so sweet."

"I think we're getting off track," Koni said before Kisshu could respond. "Kisshu, why are you opposed to becoming leader? It's many years away."

"I told you, I'd be a disaster," Kisshu said.

"Kisshu, that's not your real reason," Pai said. Kisshu looked away, and Pai sighed. Then he turned to the Council, and said, "Kisshu's father made him promise two days before his death that he would never go into politics, for any reason."

There was dead silence in the room, and Kisshu lowered his head, burying his face in his hands. Ichigo went over and hugged him, and he hugged back, burying his face in her shoulder.

"Pai, why is that?" Koni asked.

"My uncle wanted to have a better family life, which was impossible due to his hectic life as a politician," Pai said. "It killed him that he couldn't spend more time with Kisshu and his wife, as he was always being called to sit in on important meetings. He also felt that the ability he had- heightened perception- was being exploited. He and my aunt were quick to realize Kisshu had inherited that ability, and two days before they were killed in the rockslide, they took him and me aside, and made him swear on his life that he would never go into politics. And then they made me swear on my life that I would never forget this conversation, or let Kisshu forget it. Several members of the Council attended their funeral, I am surprised none of them remembered what Kisshu said when he went to speak."

"What did he say?" Koni asked.

"He said at the end of his speech, "And obedient to my father's wishes, I will never go into politics." That's what I heard, and I was standing next to him," Pai said. "Forgive my boldness, but his father was a good man, and from what I've heard, a well-respected politician. In honor to his memory, please do not force Kisshu to go into politics. It's not what Uncle Higashi would have wanted."

The Council members were silent, and then Hideki said, "I agree with Pai, Koni. You and the Council should either allow my daughters to lead our people together, or find another candidate."

Koni sighed, but bowed and said, "Very well. You all might as well go; the Council needs to discuss this."

Hideki nodded, and motioned to the others. Pai came over to Ichigo, who was still holding Kisshu, and asked, "Is he okay?"

"I think he fell asleep," Ichigo said softly. She gently let him go, and nearly fell. Pai picked Kisshu up, and said softly, "Yeah, he's asleep. Grab my shoulder, we'll take him home."

Ichigo obeyed, and Pai teleported to the main room of a house with no windows. The room was cozily lit, and almost as soon as they landed, a middle-aged couple came in. "Pai! What happened?" the woman asked.

"We met with the Council after coming back today, and they wanted to talk about leadership with all of us," Pai said. "Hideki-sama has twin daughters, but before the Council found out, they had apparently decided Kisshu would be next in line."

"Oh, no…." the man said. "What happened?"

"I told the Council about Kisshu's vow, and Hideki-sama told the Council that they had to find someone else or let Moe and Miwa be next in line," Pai said. "I'm grateful Hideki-sama backed me up like that. I think Kisshu got worn out with Ichigo hugging him and being sad, and he fell asleep while I was telling the Council it was a bad idea to force Kisshu into being leader."

"You're extremely lucky Hideki-sama agreed with you," the woman said. "Telling the Council they've made a bad decision is hazardous."

"I know," Pai said. "Can I put Kisshu in his room?"

"Of course," the man said. "Is this Ichigo?"

"Hai," Pai said. "Ichigo, these are my parents, Yuki and Hayako."

"Nice to meet you," Ichigo said, bowing slightly.

"You too," Yuki said. "You can call us Aunt Yuki and Uncle Hayako, k?"

"Thanks," Ichigo said. "And thanks for taking me in."

"Ichigo, do you want to stay with Kisshu?" Pai asked.

"Yes please," Ichigo said. She followed Pai to a small room, and watched as he set Kisshu down on the bed, and took off his boots, then tucked him in. He put a hand on Kisshu's chest, then said softly, "He just needs to sleep. He'll be fine when he wakes up."

"K," Ichigo said. She sat next to Kisshu, and gently smoothed his hair back, then started stroking it.

"I'm going back to talk with my parents; stay with Kisshu," Pai said.

"K," Ichigo said, still playing with Kisshu's hair. Pai left, and Ichigo smiled as Kisshu leaned into her hand, sighing happily.

Kisshu started to stir about two hours later, and opened his eyes sleepily to see Ichigo looking down at him. "Koneko-chan?" he asked.

"I'm here," Ichigo said. "How are you feeling?"

Kisshu sat up. "I feel fine," he said. "Did I fall asleep in your arms?"

"Yeah," Ichigo said. She put a hand on his cheek gently, and asked, "You're really okay?"

"Yeah," Kisshu said. "I just don't like talking about my parents a lot- especially not with people I don't know personally. What happened after I fell asleep?"

"Pai and Hideki-sama convinced the Council not to force you into becoming leader at some point," Ichigo said.

Kisshu sighed. "I'm glad," he said. "Where is Pai?"

"I think he's still talking with his parents," Ichigo said. "Should we go see?"

"Sure," Kisshu said. He got up, and followed by Ichigo, went to the main room. Pai was in there with his parents, and they looked up as Kisshu and Ichigo came in.

"Kisshu, are you okay?" Aunt Yuki asked.

"I'm fine, thanks Aunt Yuki," Kisshu said.

Aunt Yuki smiled and said, "We've been talking about what to do now that Ichigo's going to be living here too."

"I'm not a problem, am I?" Ichigo asked.

"No, of course not," Aunt Yuki said. "It's just that it's mainly boys in this house, that's all. But Pai says you're really attached to Kisshu, so you two will be sharing a room, k?"

"K!" Ichigo said happily.

"You get to sleep together until we find another bed," Uncle Hayako said. "But if you're irresponsible, you don't get to do it after we move to the surface, got it?"

"Got it," Kisshu said. "Ichigo won't do anything either, right?"

"Besides cuddle? No," Ichigo said. "Kish is very cuddly."

Kisshu turned dark red as Aunt Yuki giggled. "That's what Kisshu's mother said about his father," she said. "Like a big teddy bear."

"Exactly," Ichigo said.

"Kisshu, do you like cuddling?" Uncle Hayako asked.

"With Ichigo, yes," Kisshu said. "She's fluffy."

Pai snickered. "'Fluffy'?" he snickered. "That's an interesting word choice, Kisshu."

"You're snickering," Kisshu commented. "So what's going to happen this time? The last time you snickered at something I said, I broke my leg two hours later. You cursed me!"

"I did NOT curse you, you little demon," Pai grumbled. "And nothing's going to happen this time, because I didn't curse you."

"Pai, you can curse people?" Ichigo asked. "I hope you don't have a bad temper…. I don't want to get cursed."

"I do NOT curse people, Kisshu's simply paranoid because he finds me showing actual emotion creepy," Pai said disgruntledly. "And you don't have to believe everything Kisshu and/or Taruto say about me."

"Oh….. Then why did Kish break his leg?" Ichigo asked.

"He was trying to sneak attack someone and missed," Pai said. "And he was on the roof of the school, so it was a pretty bad fall."

"The person dodged right before I hit them; you must have told them ahead of time," Kisshu said.

"No, that was Kino," Pai said.

"Kino is EVIL," Kisshu said.

"Alright boys, that's enough talk about cursing people," Uncle Hayako said. "Don't you have to get your stuff off the ship?"

"Yeah," Pai said.

"Alright, Ichigo can help me make dinner while you get her stuff and yours," Aunt Yuki said. "Ichigo, do you know how to cook?"

"I don't remember," Ichigo said.

"I forgot to mention Ichigo has amnesia," Pai said. "And her friends said she shouldn't get her memory back, so I used that technique on her."

"Isn't that a bit severe?" Uncle Hayako asked.

"According to her friends Moe and Miwa, they were spending almost all their time at her house trying to make sure she didn't kill herself," Pai said. "I didn't think it was a good idea to go back to that kind of depression, and Ichigo was okay with it, so I used the technique on her. Moe said she can use telepathy, but she has to relearn it. Can you handle that while Kisshu and I get our stuff and hers?"

"Of course," Aunt Yuki said.

"Thanks," Kisshu said, and he and Pai teleported out.

Another chapter! I'll try to work on something else now, so keep watching my stories and review!