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*Italic indicates thought
Chapter Forty-Six: The Ultimatum
A/N: Yay another chapter! Hope you guys like it!
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on." -Robert Frost
Lorrie watched Jayden playing with his food curiously. "What's wrong?"
"Huh?" he asked, pausing.
"You're making a whirlpool with your milk. Oh. I...I just..."
"Does this have to do with the secret errand you have today?"
"...Kind of."
Lorrie sighed. "What's going on Jayden?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
"I'm-"
"I swear to God if you say you're not-"
"Lorrie-"
"No!" Lorrie stood up. "Jayden, I need to know we''re not repeating what happened in high school."
The memory of it made Jayden wince. "Lorrie-"
"Why are you still keeping secrets from me?! After all these years, after all we've been through I thought-"
"Lorrie listen!" Jayden stood up and grabbed her wrists. "Please just listen." He took a deep breath. " I want to tell you everything, and I will."
"Everything what? Jayden, what's going on?"
"I just need to ask you one thing?"
"What?'
"Do you love me?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Do you love me?"
"Of course I do. More than anything but-"
"Good. Look there's a lot I need to tell you. So much. I am going to tell you, though. I promise."
"Are you a part of the mafia or witness protection."
"No and no. There is an explanation for all of this and it's a good one. I just need 48 hours."
"48 hours and you'll be completely honest with me?"
"100%."
Jayden held his breath, searching her face. "Fine," she conceded. "You have 48 hours."
"Thank you." He stepped around the table and gave her a hug. "I promise it will all be worth it."
"Ok." Jayden pulled away and she leaned against the wall. She watched him put his dishes in the sink. "Can you just tell why what you're doing today is so important?"
"I'm doing something that I should've done long ago."
"Which is?" He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a passionate kiss.
"Using my brain."
- Samurai Ranger Life -
"If I didn't know any better," Mike teased as they filed out of the SUV's. "I'd say you were scared."
Antonio gave him the best look of disbelief he could muster. "Me. Amigo please-"
"Antonio it's understandable if you're feeling scared," Kevin supplied. "Or scared. Last time you were here it didn't end well."
"Oh, you mean when my lifetime of hard work and the two years I spent risking my life on a weekly basis was pushed aside for the fact that my father wielded a fishing pole instead of a spin sword? I'm not scared. It's not easy to back and face people who have so little thought of you."
Jayden pat him on the back. "Just remember we've got your back."
"Anyone else kind of excited?" Emily asked as the girls joined the group.
"I like this new Emily," Mia grinned, putting her arm around the younger woman. "She's so adventurous."
Emily blushed a little bit. "I can't take all the credit. Justin has been taking me hiking a lot. He thinks the fresh air will help me recover better."
"Everyone ready?" Lauren asked. Tiara planted herself between Lauren and Jayden. It was hard to miss the sizable smirk on the 19-year-old's face. "Do you really have to make that face?"
"We're about to go in there, lay down the law, and hand down the ultimate ultimatum if we don't get our way. As someone who grew up around diplomacy her whole life, I can think of no better way to spend an afternoon," Tiara answered.
"I highly doubt the intricacies of international diplomacy are quite like this," Kevin said as they were escorted inside.
"Um...it has its similarities. It's all about negotiations. Give something to get something."
"We've given more than enough," Jayden said, a hint of bitterness to his. Us. Our father. Our father's father. His father. Our family has given far more than what our ancestor was asked to all those centuries ago. It's time someone gave us something for a change. Antonio stuck close to Jayden as they walked. Just like he'd told Kevin, he wasn't scared, but he wasn't necessarily excited to walk back into that room and be told he wasn't good enough to be with his friends. There was an air of nervousness around all the former rangers as they walked. Their futures were hanging in the balance. Everything they wanted, everything they'd earned, was within reach if the could get the Kīpa out of the way. They were instructed to wait outside the doors of the meeting room and took the opportunity to give each other reassuring hugs and shoulder pats.
"I love you," Lauren reminded Antonio, giving him a kiss.
"I love you too," he said. "No matter what happens, no matter if you're a part of the Shiba Clan or not, I will always love you."
"I know." Lauren wondered what she had done to deserve such undying love from him.
Tiara clasped both her siblings on the shoulders. "Just remember I used to be Tiara Sterling. I think it'd be a nice last name for you guys."
"Thanks, sis but I don't think it'll go that far," Jayden said.
"And if it does?" Kevin asked hesitantly.
Jayden sighed and looked at all of them. "I can't speak for all of you. I hope that our trump card will be enough to get our side won. However, we're not making idle threats. As for the rest fo you, if we're not successful today, you're more than welcome to join us in exile. If not we will understand."
"No way man," Mike said. "We're in this together. If you three are out, we're all out."
Mia nodded. "The Nighlocks are gone, there's no reason to have any samurai anymore anyways."
"We do this as a team," Kevin agreed. "My dad won't like it but...it's not his decision to make."
"My family will understand. Hell, Serena will probably make me a cake," Emily said.
Antonio had thought that defeating Master Xandred was the best thing his friends could've done to impress them. This, though, this far surpassed that. It wasn't even close. The doors opened and Lauren and Jayden took a deep breath. They locked eyes for a second. The first generation to have two red rangers. They weren't going down without a fight. The group walked into the room where the Kīpa were already seated.
"Lady Lauren, Lord Jayden," Mr. Reyes said as they stood and bowed to the samurai. "How lovely to see you again."
Don't think they'll still be saying that after this, Jayden thought as the eight of them returned the bow. "Nice to see you too."
"And to what do we owe this pleasure?" The former rangers stood in a line, not bothering to sit.
"We have decided that we are done playing by your rules," Lauren said.
"I'm sorry Lady Lauren, I don't understand."
"We saved the world," Jayden said. "We put everything aside and risked our lives-"
"Like the samurai before you-"
"Except we were successful." He took another breath and stood up straighter, picking up his chin. "You will make Antonio a formal samurai. You will allow Kevin to keep his child. You will allow us, all of us, to marry whoever we want regardless of health, societal status, or cross of bloodlines."
"Lord Jayden, while we do recognize the authority you and Lady Lauren hold, we are tasked with-"
"We know what you're tasked with. We've known our whole lives. If you don't agree to our demands..." Now or never. "I will be renouncing my title as Lord of the Shiba Clan." The Kīpa all had varying looks of shock on their faces.
"I will also renounce my title," Lauren said.
"You're not serious," one of them said. A couple of them looked like they might have been having actual heart attacks.
"We're very serious," Jayden replied. "We have earned the right to live our lives as we see fit. You can say no, but when we walk out of here we will leave our family name and legacy behind."
"You can't do that!" one of them yelled.
"We can do whatever we want. Who's going to stop us?" Lauren asked.
Tiara noticed a couple of the seven looking at here. She saw their backup plan and stepped forward to join her siblings. "Don't think for a single second I won't renounce my title as well," she said calmly.
"We expected more from you two," Mr. Reyes said icily. "You're not children anymore, you're adults. What would your father say-"
"Our father would be proud of us for following our own paths," Jayden said, his voice perfectly even. "Those are your options. You accept our demands and Lauren and I will stay and run the Clan, along with all its associations and businesses, ect; as well as continuing to honor our family's heritage and legacy. Or you can deny us and you lose the last of the Shiba samurai line."
"Our lines too," Mike added. "Our titles might not be as special, but we will renounce them and burn our family katanas." At least half of them were definitely having heart attacks.
"What'll it be?" Lauren asked. There was a tense silence. She watched their faces as they conversed with each other. It felt like forever, though in reality, it was only a couple of minutes.
"We have...considered your demands and the...potential consequences should we not agree. You three stand firm on this?"
"We do," Jayden said.
Mr. Reyes sighed. "Very well then. We have np choice but to agree to your demands. All of you may marry whoever you wish, provided you follow the usual protocol, with the exception that they will not need approval from us. We will also approve of Samurai Kevin keeping the child he conceived. And..." this part looked like it was really killing him. "we will have Antonio Garcia's family name added to the vassal names serving the Shiba Clan and allow for him to receive the official title of samurai." From the corner of his eye, Jayden could see the vindictive smile on Antonio's face.
"We thank you for your time," Jayden said. "Oh, and I should add that I have already met the girl I intend to marry. Rest assured I will be bringing her meet all of you in a couple of weeks."
"We would expect nothing less."
"And I have also had the pleasure of meeting my future husband," Lauren said. She held her hand back and Antonio took it. She gently led him forward to stand next to her. "Just a heads up." The looks on their faces was priceless. It took every ounce of self-control Kevin and Mike had to not laugh at the shock and resignation. They shared a low-fve and sly smiles.
"Is there anything else you require?"
"No that's it."
The seven Kīpa stood and bowed. All eight smaurai bowed in return and followed their leaders out. Antonio couldn't stop smiling. "Did you see the look on their faces?" he asked once they were in the hall.
"Amazing," Emily agreed. "We totally had them."
"I hope you all get what you want now," Jayden told them. "You deserve it."
"We all deserve it," Lauren corrected him. She put her head on Antonio's shoulder as they walked. "Although I did love the look on their faces."
"Who wouldn't amor?" Antonio asked her.
"Just wait." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to love when we get married and they have to call you 'Lord Antonio'."
"Please let me be there to see it," Tiara begged.
"You showed them buddy," Mike said, patting Antonio on the back.
"Relax guys we're not even engaged yet," Antonio told them.
"Why rush?" Lauren asked. "I'm not going anywhere if you're not."
"Mi amor I will never leave your side again." They kissed and the attendants escorting them looked away.
"Lauren you're making people uncomfortable," Jayden told her as they exited the building.
"What about you?" Mia asked. "Who's this special girl?"
"It wouldn't happen to Lorrie would it?" Emily teased, poking Jayden in the stomach.
Jayden grinned as they stopped outside the SUV's. "Yes, and I want all of you at the Shiba Hosue tomorrow afternoon."
"Why?"
"I want her to meet my family."
