This is my first attempt at a pairing story. I do not own Samurai Sentai Shinkenger or any of it's characters. During this story, It has been writed assuming that there was a two year differences between Takeru and Kotoha and that their ages were 18 and 16 respectively during the series. Therefore, their ages 5 years later are 23 and 21 respectively.

Takeru sat on his "throne" like mat and reflected on the times he had had with his vassals. It had been 5 years since Chimatsuri Dokoku had been destroyed, and the Sanzu River sealed off. He kept in contact with his retainers, Jii thankfully having taught him the basics of a computer. Ryuunosuke had momentarily gone back to kabuki, but then decided that he was out of practice, and to start teaching the arts of bushido to students. Coincidentally, the school which had hired him was also the school where Mako worked, only she was with the Kindergardeners and he was with the older students. His mother and Tanba dropped by once a month, and he enjoyed their company. He was still getting used to the fact that his mother was younger than him, and as such, instead of having a mother-son relationship, they had a more of a brother-sister relationship. Takeru was beginning to think that he had shed his "hard and rocky outer shell", according to his mother and friends.

Chiaki had finished college, and had started a friendship with a girl in his class, whom he seemed to enjoy company with. The other retainers liked to tease him that their "friendship" was evolving into something deeper. Chiaki made no signs of denying it. However, there was one person whom Takeru had especially enjoyed keeping in contact with. Kotoha kept them updated with news on her sister's recovery daily, and she reported that her sister was slowly returning to full strength. She and Takeru talked quite bit, and Chiaki said that perhaps they were developing feelings for each other. Takeru though that perhaps this had some truth to it.

Being quite bored, Takeru decided to go and visit each of them. Just then, Jii walked in. "Jii, I'm going on a journey." he said. "Tono, to where?", Asked Jii in surprise. "I am going to visit each of my retainers. It has been 5 years after all.". Jii nodded. "Ok, how long will you be gone?"

"I think maybe 4 or, including travel time, because I intend to spend a least a meal with each." he said. Jii nodded, and the kurokos quickly packed his bags, and soon he was ready. Takeru pulled out his shodophone, and quickly wrote the kanji for horse, flipping it and materialising a horse in front of him. He loaded the bags onto his horse, and pulled himself up.

The gates to the Shiba House opened and he spurred his horse, racing through them. The wind racing through his hair, Takeru decided he would go to visit Ryuunosuke and Mako first, them being in the same place. Pulling his horse to stop for a moment, he pulled out his Shodophone and sent a message to Ryuunosuke. Then he continued on his journey.

~A few hours later~

Takeru reined in his horse, stopping in front of the school where both Ryuunosuke and Mako worked. It had been a long ride, and he had paused half-way to eat a snack which the Kurokos had kindly packed for him. Jumping off the horse, he removed his bag, and then dispelled the horse character, and sending the horse away. Walking in to the empty school, he thanked his lucky stars that he had come in after-hours. He soon found the kindergarden area, thanks to the amazing signage within the school. Peeking in, he saw Mako, packing up her stuff for the day. Mako had changed much in 5 years. She was taller, and her hair was longer. Her features appeared, Takeru decided, almost softer. She looked like she had been well taken care of. Knocking gently, he say he look up, and her eyes widened. "Tono!" she said, "I didn't know you would be here. "I decided to come and visit you and Ryuunosuke. Where is he?"

Mako blushed. "He is in the gym, but he's coming here like always." "Like always?" questioned Takeru, a grin growing on his face. "He comes to pick me up after class is over because . . . . he and I are now in a relationship. In fact . . " she raised her left hand. "We are engaged!" she said.

Takeru chuckled. "We knew it! We knew it! Congratulations!" he said. Mako blushed, and at that moment, in came Ryuunosuke. "Tono!" he said, before noticing the blush on Mako's face. "So you know, Tono?" he asked. "Yes, and I approve.", said Takeru with a smile. Ryuunosuke's face broke into a smile. "Thank you Tono!" Ryuunosuke had changed quite a bit. His physique had improved, and he appeared to have been training his samurai instincts. His hair was slightly longer, and Takeru noticed that his hair was starting to lighten around the edges. Now, Takeru reasoned, that would probably be because of stress from teaching?

Takeru smiled, and they decided to go for lunch. Ryuunosuke and Mako led him to a restaurant on the edge of town, and they sat down. Ryuunosuke and Mako explained how their relationship had started, and what their plans were.

Ryuunosuke began to talk, relating their story while they ate: "I had just come to this city, and to this school. I actually had come, as you know, to work and to teach this generation the arts of the samurai and bushido. Well, it so happened that the school that hired me was where Mako worked. I actually only realized that about a week later, when it was a staff-only day. We had both happened to take a break. I spotted her, but at first, I didn't recognise her. It was only after I realized who she was that I realized, and I approached her. For a while after, we would meet every now and then to catch up, but we soon realized there was more to it than that. When we sat down to talk, we realized that we had feelings for each other. As our feelings grew deeper and deeper, we began to grow closer. I eventually moved in with her. Yesterday, I proposed, with the approval of my parents and her's from Hawaii. Our wedding is next month." Ryuunosuke finished, clasping his hands together. Takeru nodded slowly, taking in the story which had just been told.

"Well, as the 19th Head of the Shiba clan, I officially approve of this union, and wish you a heartly congratulations. ", he said in a formal voice. Ryuunosuke and Mako smiled, and hugged each other. "By the way", said Takeru, "I just made your marriage official. but congratulations are in order."

After that, he wished them farewell, promised to be there at the wedding, and to spread the word. They nodded and Takeru once again summoned his horse, before galloping away, to a hotel, starting toward Chiaki's place the next day.