Part5

"Kenji, would you go open the gate for Sano?" Kaoru asked, smiling at her 12 year old son.

Kenji grinned and nodded, running towards the gate and pulling open the doors. Sano strutted into the yard, still every bit the rooster he had been years ago. "Hey 'Ji, how's it goin'?"

Kenji made a face at his nickname, but grinned at the taller man. "Good Sano. It's nice to see you."

Sano ruffled the boy's red bangs and walked over to Kaoru with a smile. "Hey Jou-chan. How are you doing lately?"

Kaoru smiled up at him. "Wonderful Sano, arigatou. It's good to see you again after so long."

Sano grinned, and then jerked a thumb behind him. "Kitsune's behind me with Yahiko, they'll be here in a few." Almost if on cue there was a knock at the gate. Kenji ran to open and was greeted by Megumi, Yahiko just behind her.

"Hello Megumi-san." Kenji said politely, tilting his chin down respectfully to the woman. "Hey Yahiko."

Megumi smiled at the boy. "Hello Kenji. My, you are growing so quickly. And you look so much like Ken-san."

Kenji smiled. "Arigatou."

Yahiko grinned wildly at his younger friend. "Hey Kenji. Nice to see you kid."

Megumi walked to Kaoru with a smile. "Hello tanuki-girl. How have you been?"

Kaoru glared a bit at her old nickname, but nonetheless smiled at Megumi. "I've been well. And you?" Megumi nodded with a smile. "Come, Kenshin is waiting for us with lunch."

Sano cracked his fingers almost impatiently. "Alright, some of the rurouni's home cooking. I've missed this place…."

Megumi gave a look and tapped Sano's arm with her knuckles. "You just missed the food, that's about it." Sano grinned sheepishly as the group made their way inside, Kenji trotting ahead to stand next to his father.

"Megumi-dono, Sano." Kenshin said with a wide smile. "It's wonderful to see you all again, that it certainly is."

Sano strode right up to Kenshin and gave him a slap on the back, pushing the smaller man forward a couple steps as the redhead let lose a startled 'ORO!'. "Kenshin! Great to see you! Now where's lunch?"

Kenshin grinned. "Great to see you too Sano. In a moment if you would." He smiled at Yahiko. "Hello Yahiko. You've grown."

Yahiko swelled at this comment. "Hey Kenshin."

Kenshin turned to Megumi, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles lightly. Megumi blushed deeply and looked down. "Megumi-dono, looking as lovely as ever."

Kaoru smiled as Megumi stuttered. "Kenshin, you're making her nervous."

Kenshin grinned and released Megumi's hand. "Gomen." He gestured towards the table. "Lunch is ready everyone, if you wanted to eat."

Yahiko and Sano immediately sat and began eating, exclaiming how much they enjoyed Kenshin's cooking throughout the entire time. Kenshin chuckled at his friends, and then joined them at the table with Kaoru, Megumi, and his son.

When the group had finished their meal Kenshin set down his bowl and cleared his throat in a serious manner. Everyone looked at him as they knew something big was coming. "There is something that we need to tell you, Sano, Megumi-dono, Yahiko," the rurouni said. "Everyone, let's go outside."

Though confused, the group followed the small redhead outside, where Kenji went to stand alone in the yard. Kenshin smiled at his son. "Kenji, if you would."

The boy nodded and closed his eyes, then began to glow. Megumi gasped as the blue engulfed the child, and Sano raised a brow. Kenji's form changed to that of the man-tall phoenix and Megumi took a step back.

Kenshin explained quietly as Kenji moved forward slowly. "Both Kenji and I are shifters. We can change our forms at will to that of another animal." He moved to stand beside Kenji, and took on the form of the crimson unicorn.

Yahiko moved forward having to tilt his head up to look into Kenji's blue eyes. "Cool!" Kenji put his beak down and nudged his friend, and Yahiko patted his golden feathers gently.

Megumi moved to stand beside Kenshin, reached out a hand to hesitantly touch the animal's nose. "Ken-san?"
Kenshin nodded his big crimson head. "Hai Megumi-dono, it's me. Kenji and I have been able to this for some time, and we've been waiting until Kenji had a bit more control over his shape."

Sano inspected Kenji's tall body. "Squirt's pretty big in this form huh? He's just as tall as me." Kenji nudged Sano with his beak, nearly knocking the ex-street-fighter over.

"I'm a lot stronger too Sano. I'll bet I could beat you now." Kenji crowed, raising his beak to the sky.

Sano pushed on the phoenix's side, trying to push him over but not having much luck. He set his shoulder against Kenji's wing and pushed harder, but Kenji simply extended the wing the man was leaning against and knocked him on his butt in the dirt.

Kenshin whinnied in laughter and rose on his hind legs for an instant. Megumi squealed and backed away from his ruby hooves, but he settled back on all fours and nuzzled her cheek reassuringly. She smiled and patted his nose.

Yahiko was laughing so hard tears were streaming down his cheeks, and Kaoru was giggling behind her hand as Kenji raised his beak skyward again and crowed.

Sano picked himself up and glared at the great golden bird, then grinned widely. "This is great you two." He looked at Kenshin and raised a brow. "You mean you could do this all along and you never told me buddy? It would have made things a lot easier."

Kenshin trotted over to Sano and butted him with his nose, tossing the ex-street-fighter in the dirt again. "Sure it would Sano, but I can't just shift when you want me too."

In retaliation Sano leaped to his feet and grabbed a hold of Kenshin's long crimson mane. With a heave of his muscles he flung himself up onto Kenshin's wide back, settling his long legs on either side of him. Kenshin's eyes grew wild as instinct took over for a split second and he reared, letting loose a war-cry. Sano let loose a cry of his own and Kenshin's violet eyes cleared and he settled onto all four hooves again.

Kenshin stood silently, his head down in shame. "Forgive me Sanosuke, I was surprised and turned to instinct."

Sano laughed from Kenshin's back, causing the unicorn to raise his head. "Are you kidding Kenshin? That was the coolest thing I've ever done! That was wild! I'm just glad you didn't keep going or I'd have been on my butt again!"

Kenshin nickered as Sano swung a leg over his spine and slid to the ground. "Really Sano? I didn't hurt you?"

Sano patted his neck. "Of course not Kenshin. It takes a lot to take me down."

Kenji gave a strange noise, sounding like a snort. "Yea, all I had to do was put out a wing."

Sano glared at the boy and he crowed triumphantly.

Megumi put one slender hand on Kenshin's back, causing the unicorn to turn his head to her. "Why did you show this to us now Ken-san?"

Kenshin sighed, and then whickered gently. "Kaoru, bring a blanket please." His wife hurried forward with a large blanket and Kenshin's body shrank and shifted back to his own body.

A blush spread across Megumi's high cheekbones as she realized that the man before her was completely naked beneath the cover.

(A/N: -waggles eyebrows- Ooo… Naked Kenshin….. –coughs- Back to story!)

Kenshin went into the house. "A moment, onegai." The group nodded and he disappeared into his and Kaoru's room. He came out a moment later fully clothed and draped the blanket over Kenji as he did the same as his father.

When Kenji came back out Kenshin sat on the porch and folded his hands in the sleeves of his gi, putting on a serious look. "This I have not even told Kenji, so it will be new. Onegai, sit down everyone. This will take some explaining."

HM: THE END! Of this chapter…. UNTIL NEXT TIME!