az: I'll check this later... not sure if I manage to get the everything I wanted into this chapter.

Conflicting Thoughts: Kotoha's side

Written by Izzu alias honou-no-izumi

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Kotoha sighed to herself as she eased the crease on the folded paper that was her sister's letter. She placed the letter into a small box before putting it inside the drawer of her small cabinet in her room.

"Really... I only ended up thinking useless thoughts, isn't it? I'm sorry, big sister. I guess I'm still not up to your standards. I promise, big sister... I will try my best to become the true Shinken Yellow with my own strength. That's why... nee-san, please do not worry about me."

Kotoha picked up the old picture frame of her sister before placing it inside the drawer. She took a long sigh before settled for the night.

xxx

"It's all right... you don't have to—"

"Huh?"

Kotoha yawned as she pushed the sliding door aside to see what was the commotion outside. Ryunosuke was fidgeting with a kuroko before noticing her looking at him as he gasped.

"Ah, Kotoha! I'm sorry I've startled you. I thought of having some words with you... but considering you're still sleeping—"

Kotoha shook her head as another yawn caught her unguarded. She apologised to him before noticing the sun was already up. She gave out a loud cry.

"Aaah! Is it training time? I'm late... I—"

Ryunosuke chuckled as Kotoha stared at him puzzled.

"There's no training this morning, dear. Hikoma-san made it an exception. Considering some of you had came home late yesterday and the fact we have had such a rough day these few days, he thought all of us needed the rest. So you don't have to worry."

Kotoha blinked, before becoming aware that she was still in her pyjamas as Ryunosuke shrugged the concerns off. It was not like they were totally strangers anymore. Kotoha was like a younger sister to himself as well.

"So... Ryu-san, what is it... that you wanted to talk about?"

Ryunosuke glanced towards the corridors, seeing that the other person that he had been waiting for had not appeared; before sighing.

"It's about what we've talked about last night. So, that's how you've been thinking about yourself... all this time?"

Kotoha fidgeted.

"I'm sorry... I know I shouldn't have..."

Ryunosuke sighed.

"You should have talked about this to any one of us before, Kotoha."

Takeru paused as he reached the corridors leading to Kotoha's room before hiding himself. He peeked in from the corners of the inner corridors to see Ryunosuke talking with Kotoha. Kotoha bit her lips.

"W-well... all this time, I always thought—Mako-san was such a great person, Ryu-san had been so skilful... Tono-sama was so strong. Everyone had been so strong because all of you had been trained to be a Shinkenger from the very beginning. While I... I only ended up becoming one when my sister got sick. I only ended up being here because my sister was not able to join everyone—if not because of that, I wouldn't be—"

"That's where you're mistaken, Kotoha. I'm not sure what exactly did Hikoma-san told you yesterday but I think I know what he could have said. So what did Hikoma-san told you yesterday?"

Kotoha glanced up towards him before shrugging.

"Jii-san said... I am no one's substitute. I am Shinken Yellow and I have to be the Shinken Yellow that only I could become. By my own method. I only thought I am a substitute because I wanted to think like that. It's not because I am."

Takeru held his breath at Kotoha's words. So, Jii told Kotoha like that...

Ryunosuke nodded thoughtfully.

"Certainly Hikoma-san was wise and what he said was correct." Ryunosuke shrugged before glancing back at her. "Generally, it was... as it looked like. The designation on who should be taking the task of becoming a Shinkenger from each of the five clans, those tasks were not set onto just one specified person."

Takeru felt his heart skipped a bit as his eyes darted towards Ryunosuke. Kotoha's face also appeared surprised as she seemed to also not expected Ryunosuke to say those words. Ryunosuke just shrugged.

"You probably had missed it, but it was supposed to be known by all of the five clan members." He sighed. "Every member of the clan, regardless if it was the Shiba clan, Ikenami, Shiraishi, Tani or Hanaori clan; every member of the family possessed the ability to control the mojikara element of the clan and become a Shinkenger. So if one member of the family was not able to assume the position, the task of becoming a Shinkenger would fall to the next of kin. Every family member of the clan was equal in that sense so there were no such thing about who was supposed to be the rightful Shinkenger or not. Your sister should know about this as well."

Ryunosuke eyes suddenly become pained.

"That was why Chimatsuri Doukoku had eliminated most of the Shiba clan members. Because if he had just killed the previous lord, there could always be another Shiba member that could take over the task of the Shiba clan..."

He glanced towards Kotoha again.

"So it was the same for the rest of us, Kotoha. From the very beginning, there was no such thing about who—between your sister and you—should have been the rightful person to become Shinken Yellow. Same as me, Mako or Chiaki. And we all have seen what a good Shinken Yellow you have been. So we leave it at that."

"I understand. I'm really sorry to make you worry, Ryu-san."

Ryunosuke hastily shook his head.

"No. I should be the one feeling sorry. To think that all this time, you must have been struggling by yourself—"

"Oh no!" Kotoha started waving his hands around. "You've done nothing wrong! All this time... Ryu-san, I've been learning a lot from you. And even if you haven't notice how I've felt all this time, you've always been supporting me. You've helped me a lot all this time, Ryu-san... so I would always be grateful—"

Ryunosuke smiled as he patted her head. "I'm glad you think so." He glanced towards the bright sky as he smiled, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"Guess I've been disturbing you for quite a while. I'll excuse myself for now." he said as he started to leave.

"Eh, Ryu-san! Where did you wanted to go? Earlier you said there's no training today..."

Ryunosuke just shrugged at her as he walked towards the inner corridor entrance. He extended his arm towards it as he dragged Takeru out of hiding. Takeru grinned sheepishly towards Kotoha as she stared at him in surprise.

"Tono-sama! Why did you—"

"Tono and I had some errand to do after this. Last night Tono had wanted—"

Takeru hastily covered Ryunosuke's mouth as he grinned at Kotoha.

"It was nothing. I just wanted to take a walk, so I thought I should take Ryunosuke along. Sorry to disturb you... Kotoha. We'll excuse ourselves for now..." he said as Ryunosuke and him hurriedly left the corridors. Kotoha blinked as she went back inside her room to refresh herself for the day...

xxx

Takeru pinched Ryunosuke's arm as both of them walked into the streets leading to the row of shops in that neighbourhood. He hissed at Ryunosuke as the older lad hadn't reacted as badly as he had hoped. Ryunosuke grinned at him.

"Why did you want to tell everyone about me asking you to get me an ice cream? Did you really like it to make me look silly in front of others?" he snapped as Ryunosuke just ran his hand over Takeru's head.

"Now now, it's just a slip of a tongue. Come on, Tono... which flavour did you want? Vanilla? That chocolate one? Strawberry? Oh... this chocolate chip?" said Ryunosuke as he started opening the ice box inside the convenience store.

Takeru was about to argue a bit more before pouting, turning to look at the choices of ice cream that Ryunosuke was checking out. He pointed to one of the flavours that Ryunosuke was holding as he took it out and paid the cashier. Both of them walked out of the shop as they headed towards a nearby park. Takeru leered towards Ryunosuke as he tore open the wrapper of his ice cream cone.

"Why aren't you getting yourself one? It's not like you couldn't afford to get another..."

Ryunosuke chuckled at him as Takeru felt his cheeks redden.

"I don't feel like getting one today. And today was more of me treating you. You're the one after all that wanted to eat some ice cream..." teased Ryunosuke as Takeru looked away, nibbling at his ice cream while he's at it.

Takeru's thoughts went back towards the conversation Ryunosuke had with Kotoha.

"Ryunosuke... what you said to Kotoha earlier, do you really believe it's true?"

Ryunosuke glanced towards him, puzzled as Takeru shrugged it off hastily. He raised his eye brow questioningly.

"What did you mean... Tono?"

Takeru averted his eyes away from Ryunosuke as he muttered softly.

"I mean... about there is no specific person who would be the rightful Shinken candidate—that anyone of those 'candidates' had equal rights to become their own Shinkenger. Did you really believe it?"

Takeru turned towards Ryunosuke, looking suddenly insecure. Ryunosuke cocked his head towards him, puzzled over the strange statement he spoke. Takeru shook his head hastily again.

"It's... nothing. Don't worry about it."

Ryunosuke just nodded it off. Though he still noticed that Takeru had his mind over the matter but for what reason, he could not place it. Still not his place to question the young lord so he chose not to touch the topic further. Despite that, there was another matter about Takeru still staring towards the empty space...

Ryunosuke grabbed Takeru's hand as he bit a chunk off Takeru's ice cream.

"Aaah! You ate it!" Takeru cried as he looked at him in surprise. "And you said you didn't want any!"

Ryunosuke grinned.

"That's before I saw you staring at it and not eating it. I could not resist myself!"

Takeru stared at him in wonder as he held the cone away from Ryunosuke.

"You're not getting anymore after this, you hear me!"

The older lad laughed.

"Say that after you manage to finish the whole cone by yourself—" said Ryunosuke as he and Takeru started playing tag between themselves in a bid to get a bite out of Takeru's ice cream cone...