Chapter 7 – Similar than Seems
And we're back. As we remember, Lincoln and Shinkengers have to take care of not only of Tejinajutsu and Loud Sisters, but also revived Ayakashi. Also, Rita and Lynn Sr are on their way to find their kids. What's gonna happen now? Let's see.
In the Netherworld
Everything in the Sanzu River seemed to be peaceful. How can it be? After Akumaro, Tejinajutsu and his army came back to the ship, Shitari was measuring river's water level with his stick while Doukoku was drinking his sake. When his advisor done, he came to him and proclaimed: "You will be surprised, Lord Doukoku. The Sanzu River's level has increased much more than before".
"Is it true?" he asked getting up and going to the side to see at the river.
"Well, Doukoku-sama, are you impressed by my pawn?" Akumaro asked him while Tejinajutsu was shuffling his cards.
"Let me tell you this, clown" he exclaimed, going towards the Ayakashi. "You did an interesting job at rising Sanzu River. But what's the point of reviving some of Gedoushuu and capturing those humans?!".
"I can't reveal anything yet, Lord Doukoku. But trust me, this will the sensation of the life" he answered pulling out a Joker Card with his face on it.
"If you fail me, clown, I'll swipe that smile of yours" Doukoku threatened him going back to his seat.
Meanwhile, somewhere in mountains
Despite the calls from Hikoma to take a rest after the battle, Takeru being bandaged went to a shrine in the mountains to train. He was still upset about the failure but he didn't want to show it to his retainers. He was swinging his Shinkenmaru trying to defeat an "opponent", but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't clear his head from the fight. Soon, he fell on his knee breathing heavily from exhaustion.
Suddenly, he heard a rustle of leaves. And when he stood up, he heard a voice asking him: "So that's where you've been, Takeru?". Turning around, he saw that the one who asked him is Lincoln. But he just glared at him and continued practicing.
"What do you want? If you came here to mock me or anything then go back to the mansion. I have to keep practicing" he said as he kept swinging his katana.
But the white-haired boy just sighed and started to talk to him. "Look, I'm not here for a fight. I came to apologize for everything I thought about you".
At hearing that, he stopped swinging and turned towards the kid directly as he continued explaining. "When I first saw you, I thought you were an awesome lord with an authority over people. But when you gave me a cold shoulder, I wondered about how can Chiaki and others be loyal to such an arrogant guy like you. So I asked them that and they told me that they have different reasons but they all willingly entrust their lives for you".
As he kept telling, they were making their way to the stairs. "Chiaki wants to surpass you, Kotoha wants to do her best, Genta wants to keep his promise from your childhood, Mako wants to know you and Ryuunosuke was raised to support you to the end".
Once they sat at the stairs, they looked at the stars in the sky. Suddenly, Takeru asked him something. "How?"
"What?" he asked back turning his head to him.
"Your sisters were captured and they beat you up, but you are still trying to smile. How are you doing this?".
"I don't know for sure. To be honest, I was very devastated that they were captured. But I still have hope that I can save them. It's called determination". After a moment of silence, Lincoln said something that picked Takeru's attention. "You know, I envy you. Being the great lord, making others follow orders, entrusting lifes to each other. I wouldn't be able to make it myself even if I wanted".
When another minute of silence passed, Takeru asked something unusual. "Lincoln, can you keep secrets?".
"Of course. Whatever your secret it, it's locked with me".
Taking a deep breath, he confessed. "I… am not the true XVIII's head of Shiba clan".
Completely shocked and confused about this truth, the white-haired boy exclaimed. "Huh? What do you mean? Can you explain?".
Nodding, he began explaining. "I'm just a Kagemusha, a decoy to fool Gedoushuu's eyes. The real heir of Shiba clan is Princess Shiba Kaoru, a daughter of the previous lord. In his last battle, he was killed by Doukoku, but he was able to put an incomplete sealing Mojikara on him. To defeated the leader of Gedoushuu, Princess must master the sealing Mojikara. But they needed a decoy to buy her some time. And that one is…".
"You?" Lincoln asked finishing his sentence processing everything.
"Precisely". Takeru answered and continued. "To put this through, I lied to everyone that I'm the current lord of Shiba, especially to Ryuunosuke others. Other than that, I am… nothing".
Lincoln was quite shocked at this revelation. He had no idea that Takeru had such a burden on his shoulders to pretend to be the lord of Shiba clan to protect the Princess. And the fact that he had to lie to everyone about it including to his retainers. That was so much for the boy.
"Does anyone know about it?" he asked him.
"Only me and Jii know it. The others don't know, not even Kuroko. If the truth will come out for Gedoushuu, who knows what will happen to the world? To Ryuunosuke and others?".
"Do you really that you are nothing, Takeru?".
"Yeah… None of the truths matters comparing to these. No one can change the fact that I lied to everyone, including you. Sorry…".
Hearing him apologizing, Lincoln was a little taken aback. Then he sighed and started chuckling to himself, which grabbed Takeru's attention.
"Why are you laughing?".
"It's nothing. It's just, after listening to your story I begin to realize that we are actually quite similar than I thought" he responded.
"What do you mean about 'similar'? We are not the same. I lied my entire life. I lost my family. My father died in Gedoushuu's raid and I never knew my mother. But you have a big family I know. You have everything to be happy" Takeru exclaimed but to his surprise, Lincoln just shook his head.
"You're wrong. I mean, I am happy to have a family like that and not trading it to the world, but… All my sisters have different talents: Lori has golf, Leni – fashion, Luna – music, Luan – comedy, Lynn – sport, Lucy – poems, Lana – mechanic skills, Lola – pageants, Lisa – science, even Lily have some of her talents. But me… nothing. I'm just plain, old, ordinary Lincoln Loud, who doesn't have any talent. I can draw comic book and make plans but I don't count that as a talent. There was a time when I tried to win a trophy, but it almost my relationship with my sisters so I gave up on that. And because of that, I always feel myself like a burden or a shadow in this family" he explained. After another moment of silence, he asked him something else. "Tell me, Takeru, what will you do if the truth will be revealed to others?".
"I will set things straight. I'll just leave them with Princess and never see them again. I'm sure it will be the best decision for them" he answered sounding depressed.
"But will they really approve this decision?" he asked grabbing Takeru's attention. "If I would be Chiaki, I would be devastated because I wanted to surpass you not as a Shinken Red but as a person, because you are strong by yourself. You may not realize it but I can see that you made a special bond with other Shinkengers. All the battles you fought, all the fun you had. They are more than just your retainers and even more than just friends. They are your family, your real family. And you care about each other".
At hearing that, Takeru felt tears forming in his eyes, so he turned away to not show it to Lincoln. But he caught him like that. "Are you crying?".
"I-I-I'm not crying!" he exclaimed trying to hide his feelings.
"It's okay to cry. Even if you're a mighty lord or maybe not, you're still a human and it's normal to have feelings. I won't tell anyone about this if you don't want to. Just don't try to hide it and let it out".
And so, Takeru just began to cry letting out his feelings and Lincoln just sat in silence patting his shoulders to help him to calm down. Once he calmed, Lincoln got up and asked him. "Feeling better? If you wanna keep training, then I'll go back to mansion".
"No. I'm fine. I think it's time to go back" he answered as he got up as well and they both were making their way out of the shrine.
On their way, Lincoln asked. "Hey, Takeru. Why have you shared your secret with me?".
"To be honest, I don't know myself. Maybe it's because you are trustworthy?".
"I guess you're right".
Suddenly, they heard a voice, or more specifically, two voices. "Lincoln!". They were turning their heads to try and find the source of those voices. When they heard another cry, they turned their heads to the entry and Lincoln gasped at seeing his parents running to him and they hugged him tightly.
"Oh, my baby boy" Rita said.
"We were so worried about you, son" Lynn Sr added.
"Ow-ow-ow. Careful, you may break my spine" he said hugging them back.
At hearing that, they broke the hug and gasped at their son's condition.
"What happened to you?" his mom asked.
"Who did this to you?" his dad also asked.
"Eh-eh. That was… my sisters" he sheepishly answered.
"WHAT?! How could they do this to you?!" they exclaimed sounding lividly.
"To explain this, I'll let him do it" he said as he gestured to Takeru who was standing there and watching them awkwardly.
"Who is it?" Rita asked her son.
"Mom, dad. Meet my new friend, Shiba Takeru, the XVIII's head of Shiba clan" he introduced him to them, trying his best to keep Takeru's secret.
At first, Loud parents were laughing thinking that it's some kind of joke. But seeing the seriousness on Lincoln and Takeru's faces, they immediately bowed down apologizing for their rudeness. Once they got up, they asked him what happened, he nodded, took out his Shodophone, switch it in brush mode and made a red kanji '脳' (memory), spun it and it made its way to Lincoln's head making a projection of Lincoln's memories from Kaigen-cho's park fiasco to the 'sister's reunion' while Takeru was explaining them about Shinkengers and Gedoushuu. The parents were shocked at what they saw and heard. Once the 'show' was over, the parents turned back to their son, who looked down in sadness.
"Lincoln. Why didn't you tell us anything about it?" his father asked him.
"Would you really believe me?" he asked them back, and after seeing them not having an answer he continued. "Besides, I have to save them".
"But, son, look at how injured you are. You don't have to do it. Just let these samurais do that" his father tried to reason with him.
"But I feel responsibility for what happened to them. I'm the one who chose to go to Japan and I let those Nanashi run away with girls" he explained looking to the ground with his parents feeling bad for him. "If only I had enough power to fight…" suddenly he was cut off by Takeru.
"…then you can save them".
Turning his head to him, Lincoln asked. "What do you mean, Takeru? You have a way to help me?".
"Yes. If you want to save them, then you have to fight them as a Shinkenger" he answered with a nod. At hearing that, the white-haired boy and his parents were looking at him dumbfounded with a wind blowing to their faces.
That's the end of another chapter. Sorry if it's a little shorter than the previous one, but I wanted to have Lincoln and Takeru having a private talking and making amends with each other as well as including Loud Parents. Now, Lincoln must become a Shinkenger in order to save his sisters. How this will go? Wait and see. And don't forget to review and follow it.