Hallo hallo! UwU!

It's been too long! I hope this content makes up for it tho! Enjoy this piece reader-sama :)

Oh! And reviews are always welcome!

Compucles-sama, thank you for clarifying on the topic of honorifics, I've taken the liberty to use them in a way that matches bounty-hunter Kenshin well, and hopefully, this cuts it! UwU lemme know what you think, yes?

'You're insane if you think I'll let you take her with us Kenshin! Read my lips: INSANE!'

'Now now there's no need to call names here,' Kenshin's patient demeanour was a stark contrast to Sanosuke's indignation. 'We can prevent her from interfering with our mis-'

'Kenshin she's in the bloody BaNza!' The taller man threw his hands up exasperatedly and let out a groan.

'That's a terrible name by the way,' Kaoru piped up from behind them uselessly.

'You shut up! You don't get to judge Kenshin's poor naming choices!' Sanosuke snapped at her, before turning back to frown at a still gently smiling Kenshin. His nearly closed eyes opened wide to glower briefly at his partner before he turned to give Kaoru an apologetic smile.

'Forgive my mannerless partner's behaviour. We're simply worried for your welfare, Kaoru-dono.' Kaoru humphed defiantly and turned to a now pensive Sanosuke, who was on edge after Kenshin's brief but icy stare. Kenshin raised a brow as he crossed his arms, his patronizing tone giving way for a firmer one. 'But you must understand that you interfering in a bounty-hunting mission is dangerous work. I'm afraid I am with his take on the matter. It's too risky to take you along.'

'Damned if I hear it Kenshin,' Kaoru's stubbornness broke through as she crossed her arms to match his posture. 'I've been having this gut feeling about this creep and his intentions since he impersonated my family's legacy and dishonoured it.' She lifted her chin and pouted. 'My family honour! I'm doing this to protect it, to redeem it!'

'Boohoo you sound like a banished prince.' Sanosuke mocked and rolled his eyes. 'A bratty one at that. You're risking your safety needlessly.'

'He's got a fair point, Kaoru-dono,' Kenshin sighed and massaged his nose bridge between his fingers. 'You need a hunter's permit to even come along with us. Not to talk of an actual licence. Do you have a licence?'

Kaoru hung her head, her face flushed red with anger and slight embarrassment.

'You're talking as if I'm a helpless little girl.' She seethed

'You were helpless against that criminal the second time we met.'

She rose to her feet so fast both men took a step back, tentative as she matched their stance with hers.

'I wasn't hel- I'm a master of swordsmanship!' Her voice rose with the heave of her chest, her emotions so much larger than her stature. 'I run a school! Do you think just any damn body can run a damn dojo? You think it's any less than playing cops and robbers across hyperspace because we have a code of honour binding us to morals?'

Silence fell in the main lobby of the mothership, with Sanosuke sweating bullets at the tension Kaoru seemed to be generating all on her own with her menacing stare. Kenshin simply sighed and lowered his head.

'I do not, Kamiya-san,' at his words Kaoru's heart seemed to drop, but even she didn't seem to be actively aware of it. The queasiness was only registered at the back of her mind in the heat of her anger. 'But I'll ask you this: have you ever travelled through hyperspace before? Do you think they hold themselves to the code of conduct you hold yourself to out there? You think you have a fair chance?' Kaoru's eyes grew wide and she turned away from them both, her face stinging with the intensity of her indignation. He sighed and placed his hands on his hips decisively. 'My point exactly.' He turned to Sanosuke and raised a brow at him. The latter raised his arms defensively.

'Alright! I should have known you wouldn't let her get involved, my mistake. Lighten up will ya?'

'I did not enjoy this Sanosuke-san, so no, I will not lighten up.' Kenshin started to untie his hakama as he made his way for his room 'If we're chasing a prison-breaker then we need to get clothing that won't get in our way.'

'On it chief!' The two disappeared into their rooms, and Kaoru was left alone on the couch, her fists clenched at her situation. Sanosuke had been against her from the beginning, but when Kenshin hadn't complained and he even let her climb aboard the dusty maroon ship, she thought he was on her side. But even as she thought that she felt stupid. She couldn't possibly expect them to have faith in her - when she had lost to the scumbag at all. She shouldn't have expected them to buy into her need to face the crook either, not when she hadn't so much as followed on the case herself. The fact she had this lead was by chance. To them, she was just someone who was trying to get in over her head in the name of adventure.

And they wouldn't be wrong.

But just because she wasn't following up or had never shown any real interest in pursuing the Hiruma fellow, didn't mean she didn't need to. What business did a Yakuza mobster have with her family name that he would use it so easily? Why was she his "best for last" as he claimed weeks ago? It could be nothing - after all the Kamiya family's history was no common one in modern Tokyo, having spanned generations of the bravest samurais, officers of the law and representatives of their residential district in Tokyo's government. If the criminal had been using the name of a bounty hunter who didn't know who he was - as Kenshin had told her when she asked - then it would be easy to stake claim to a fairly popular lineage's legacy to follow some overall killer's unknown logic. And it would have just made her identity as his final victim a crowning of some twisted misogynistic victory. It could mean nothing at all.

Or many things.

Kaoru made a mad dash to the front of Kenshin's room and started to knock but just then the hunter was opening the door to leave. Her breath hitched in her throat. His eyes met hers and slowly landed on her parted lip. He lingered there, the natural pink hue uncannily seductive on her awkward person. His eyes slowly met hers again, his expression now one of amusement.

Kenshin had ditched the ultra-traditional hakama and kimono for a more contemporary look, in navy blue slacks and a white shirt that covered were the belt cinched it onto his waist. She could see the gold and black diamond-patterned hilt of his sword peeking out from the left side of it. His hand had been working at the button of his dark purple coat, but they made their way to straightening out his lapels on seeing her. His shirt underneath wasn't buttoned up enough to hide his chest and his burgundy neck-tie was undone around his collar. He raised a brow, and Kaoru managed to snatch her voice before it left her again.

'I need to-'

'I'm sorry for interrupting you, but should I tie this or just leave it?'

'Just leave it. Kenshin I have to come with you-'

'We're still on this again, Kamiya-san?' he sighed and Kaoru's stomach sank again. He looked away and ran one hand through his hair. 'It's far too dangerous.'

'I wouldn't risk it if I didn't think it was important, please just hear me out Kenshin.'

'Then I'd advise you to be quick, Sanosuke is bound to be ready soon and we have to get on the trail before its cold.'

Kaoru poured out her thoughts to the hunter, explaining all the pieces of the crime that had her intertwined with it, how it didn't quite add up and how she needed to get to the bottom of everything. Kenshin listened intensively, stroking his chin as she spoke.

'I see, you make a strong case,' he said when she finally finished, nodding thoughtfully. Kaoru nodded too, urging him to see things from her perspective. 'But if there was anything, the police would let you know. After all, it is your name involved.'

'Yes but-'

'If there's a connection as you claim and they're yet to inform you, then it might even be more dangerous for you than we're assuming right now, especially since you were his final target anyway.'

'Exactly! Which is why-'

'-you need to stay here.' Kaoru gaped at the redhead, who only offered her a sympathetic smile. He placed a hand on her shoulder. 'How could we live with ourselves knowing we put you in harm's way if you got hurt? Please understand, Kamiya-san-'

'-don't call me tha-!' she slapped her hand over her mouth as her eyes grew wide, and she shoved passed him to get into his room. She slammed the door behind her. A whistle followed nearly immediately as Sanosuke left his room.

Sanosuke had equally cleaned up, ditching his white get-up for a black leather jacket with the wicked character inked at the back in pure red and a white t-shirt underneath the unzipped item. He sported a red bandana as a headband with the Sagara character in white ink. The brunette was amused, reaching into the pockets of his carton-coloured chinos.

'Lady troubles, Battousai?' He tsked as he dangled the keys to the ship's hanger below holding their jets, hoisting Zannbatou on his back with his free hand.

'Shut up Zanza~' Kenshin sang as he snatched for the keys and made his way out the lobby room, his patience having been worn thin by his indulging Kaoru.

...

Kaoru must have called herself stupid at least a thousand times. She laid in Kenshin's futon, undoing all the tidying he had done before he left. The futon took up less space than a normal bed would in the tiny space. His room was predictably traditional, save the lava-lamp radio in the corner of his room.

Imagine, throwing a tantrum about the way he referred to her in the middle of convincing him of her right to seek out truth and justice. As if she couldn't help herself and be so petulant-

But she really hated it when he called her Kamiya-san.

She cursed herself again and curled up in the futon. They had left her alone, with no leads, no clues and no way to follow them. They'd go get clues from the police while she waited and sulked because she didn't have a licence. She sneered as she mocked the ginger's speaking the words back at her, feeling petty and resentful.

Defeated, she rose to her feet and decided to head back to her district. Let's see whose dojo they'd bring their salivating mouths over to eat, because it certainly wouldn't be Kaoru's - no sir she'd hogtie them with their tongues and kick them to the nearest Astral Gate station, on her father she would!

BaNza had been parked in the space-travelling parking lot that had been provided for the residential district Kaoru lived in, which was at least a one hour's journey from her home. She had never intended to make it back on her own, but she was in no mood to wait around for the hunters to return. She was so over them at this point. The walk was long, but she barely noticed as her mind plagued her with countless what-if and "Kamiya-sans." She would have even walked passed the compound if it wasn't for its diabolical state. Shock helped her barely register her fatigue as she ran in.

The shoji doors were sliced open and the surviving papers were riddled with bullet holes. She ran into the dojo to find her family alter desecrated and upturned, with the ashes of the incense scattered over the floor and the portraits of her deceased parents shattered. Many of her training bokkens for her students were broken to pieces and on the wall were the generational blades were supposed to be was a note.

'Don't bother with the note, seeing as you are already here, Kamiya-san.'

Kaoru balled her hands into fists, scanning the dojo for the trespasser. The dojo lights were off and the only source of illumination was the door, which left the corners of the room mostly dark with shadows.

'Hiruma Gohei.' The words were faint, her mind trying to desperately figure out how to arm herself against this man. She thought of calling the bounty hunters, but she remembered that in all this while she never collected their numbers. She mentally cursed herself.

'I'll admit I thought you'd be a while longer, but the look on your face was no small satisfaction either,' the man chuckled as he left the shadows. He was perfectly suited up to the newsboy's cap; the perfect gentleman serial killer. He was completely different from he looked before too - he sported darker skin, a low haircut and a long beard, though his beady hazel eyes were the same. He was also built heavier than Kenshin too and Kaoru found herself wondering how the hunter managed to lift someone so much larger than him. Whoever had helped him with his impersonation of Kenshin may have not gotten the imitation right, but he did manage to hide the original man's identity completely. Kaoru noted that he didn't carry a sword this time. She immediately leapt forward and punched him in the face.

Both of them winced at the pain that travelled through the points of contact but Gohei caught her by her wrist and pulled her up so he could meet her face. He dangled her up, her feet barely touching the ground while he briefly checked to make sure his hat was intact. Kaoru gulped when she felt the cold metal end of a pistol's barrel underneath her chin and went completely still. Never in her life had she been held at a gunpoint, much less with the threat of it being fired directly through her mouth and up through her head. He smiled at the change in her demeanour.

'What do you want from me?' she whispered finally, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. He chuckled and brandished the gun in front of her, before cocking it back and opening his mouth to speak. The words never came, only the howling of a grown man experiencing the pain of his balls being brutally assaulted. His hand pulled on the trigger as he let go of her and fired back, and the bullet whistled through the wooden door behind them. Kaoru ears seemed to split into deafness from the sound as she bodied into his chest with her shoulder, sending him into the ground.

The swords were too far away for her to get one before he could stand up, and he was already scrambling for his hat, so Kaoru jumped over him and ran straight through the shoji slider between the dojo and her home. She landed on the compound floor and ran around the home than into it, unwilling to have the place be upturned by the scuffle with her would-be killer.

'Where the hell do you think you're going, Kamiya-san? You've got a date with fucking destiny!' Gohei roared and charged after her immediately. Kaoru hid with her back against the wall of her house, forcing herself to still her breathing. Surely the noise of gunfire would alert her neighbours and have them call the police, she just had to stall and bid her time... she heard Gohei coming her way as he called for her, and braced herself to face him. She could hold her own, she didn't need to win, just to hold out... 'You troublesome little wench, you...'

Kaoru dashed out and went in straight for another punch to his jaw, diving low to keep out of the bullet's line of fire. She didn't land one, because he caught her wrist again and pulled her to him. But she instead just braced herself to deliver a powerful headbutt once she was completely yanked in. The giant of a man staggered back before giving her a wicked glare. Furious, he forwent aiming at her for tackling he head-on. He threw a left hook at her which she dodged, only for her gut to meet his rock-hard fist. Kaoru coughed out blood and instantly collapsed on the floor. She rolled away from him and struggled to rise to her feet, but he kicked her in the same place again and sent her flying into the fence of the compound.

'Shit...' she hissed when more blood left her mouth and stained the ground. She looked up to find herself staring down the barrels of Gohei's pistol. He winked at her and tipped his hat in mock respect.

'You ma'am have given me a lot more trouble than its worth,' he unlocked the safety and fixed his finger on the trigger. Kaoru wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and gave him a bloody grin.

'Tis always a pleasure,' she spat on the ground between them and Gohei twitched, what little of his patience wearing off for irritation. 'I have one question though.'

'What the hell do you want?' he groaned out loud.

'Why use my family name to lie?'

Gohei did a double-take on her, and then let out a heavy sigh as he palmed his face down to through his beard.

'I'd prefer you to ask your old man when you see him in - fuck you, you little bitch!' Kaoru had taken a hold of his wrist and twisted it as hard she could, cutting him off mid-sentence. He let go of the pistol, which fired off as soon as it hit the ground. Gohei yanked her by the hair and threw her into the ground, before getting on top of her and strangling her. 'You're harder to kill than a bloody roach!'

'Kaoru!'

Gohei paused and glared at the bloody-mouthed girl beneath him, before immediately reaching for the gun and holding her against him with the gun to her head. He faced the direction of the speaker, Sanosuke, and yelled.

'Make a move and I'll kill the girl right here!'

'You were well on your way to killing her already.' Sanosuke pointed out, but he held his giant horse-cleaver away from him anyway. 'Should I drop the sword?'

'I don't know, should I shoot the wench?' Gohei sneered at the bounty-hunter, who rolled his eyes and threw his weapon aside. He then smirked, to the killer's annoyance. 'The hell are you laughing at, you damn thug?'

'Ah well, hypocrisy at it's finest.'

'Kenshin!' Kaoru sounded relieved but the scowling Gohei clamped his hand over her mouth, wheeling around to glare at the redhead. The hunter's eyes widened on seeing her physical condition and as they narrowed back to slits, they shifted to a deadly gold.

'Battousai,' he seethed, brandishing the gun against Kaoru's temple. She shivered, whether from the cold metal or from her fear of Kenshin's current aura she wasn't sure which. 'The hell is your case with this broad, is she your woman or something?'

'Just a good friend of mine, and one I'll be willing to spill your blood for, of that I'm certain.'

'You're bluffing!' Gohei yelled frantically, ignoring the chills that travelled up his spine at the coldness of his voice. 'You gave up killing ages ago!'

Kenshin only cocked a brow and unsheathed his sword halfway.

'Try me, Hiruma Gohei.'

They locked eyes in a cold gaze, but while Kenshin was perfectly calm, Gohei was sweating bullets. He changed the direction of his aim and pointed the gun at Kenshin. His hand was shaking as he started to yell at the hunter.

'Then I'll take care of you first!' With that, the bullet went off. Kaoru's eyes widened in horror and instinctively bit down on the thumb of Gohei's right hand. The man yowled in pain and let go of the Kenshin-screaming Kaoru. But Kenshin moved in the blink of the bullet, his sword unsheathed and effectively slicing through the projectile as he made his way for the criminal. He slashed at the thigh and then flipped the blade over to send the man flying straight into Sanosuke's waiting fist. Kenshin nodded at his partner.

'Zanza I trust you to handle that man.'

Sanosuke nodded at his partner, before glaring at the cowering man in his deadlock grip. 'I've got you Battousai; go check on the girl.'

Immediately Kenshin was kneeling by Kaoru's side and he cradled her head in his lap. She looked at him and squinted.

'Don't look at me like I'm dying, Himura,' she scolded, before drawing a raspy breath. 'It's just a few ribs at most, and a few of my student have managed to deal similar damage on occasion.'

'Stop talking, Kaoru-dono,' he whispered gently. Koaru's eyes softened when she heard him call her name and she smiled, before laughing and then choking at the idea of how horrific she must've looked. 'I should have known he would come after you to finish what he started, I should have let you come with us. I-'

'Hush,' she scolded again and winced. 'You'll bore me to death with your guilt.'

He managed a broken laugh and offered her a crooked smirk.

'Spunk even at the brink of death, what I like in a woman~'

'I'm not dying...' she raised a hand to hit his chest, and then cursed out loud. 'There's a bullet...' Kenshin's eyes instantly widened at the memory of his decimating Gohei's shooting attempt, and then checked Kaoru's sides - sure enough, the perfect half of a .22 bullet was lodged in her side.

'You're bleeding.'

'So I am...' the girl murmured and burrowed her head in his lap. 'I'm tired...'

'Hold on, Kaoru-dono.'

She wanted to say something, but then her consciousness disconnected her brain from her mouth, before shutting off altogether.

...

'If you burn the kitchen you might bring her into consciousness long enough to kill you.'

'I'll take my chances.'

'You're worried about her? That's cute Sano.'

'Says the man who's losing sleep over the tanuki.'

'Hush now, bring that tea.'

'You all talk too loud.'

There was a scream from both men as they leapt back from a sleepy Kaoru, who opened one sapphire eye slowly.

'What kind of tea did you make?'

'Chai and vanilla.'

'Hmm.' It was the only sound she made for a while before she opened her eyes and slowly sat up. Her blanket fell off her upper-buddy, exposing her bound-up chest to the two hunters. They both turned pink, and Sanosuke awkwardly handed the tea to his partner before excusing himself. Kaoru winced, and Kenshin quickly set the tea aside to help her sit up comfortably. It was then she realised how exposed she was, and she tinged the faintest of pinks. 'Uhm...'

'Hush, I've seen less decent in my lifetime,' he said dismissively propping her back up against her bed rest. She looked away from him at this, suddenly uncomfortable. In turn he eyed her room, not for the first time and nodded approvingly as he offered her tea. 'Your parents did well for you, leaving you with something tangible at least.'

'They did,' she agreed quietly and sipped the tea. She scrunched her nose. 'There's no honey.' Kenshin laughed at her facial expression and bopped her nose.

'Sanosuke likes to make tea as black as his heart.'

'Well, his heart tastes awful then.'

Kenshin laughed again and Kaoru joined him before wincing and doubling over in pain. He took the awful tea and set it aside before helping her lay lower in bed. Their eyes locked as he moved back up and he paused to hold her gaze. She lowered her lashes and averted her eyes and he smiled coyly, going to seat by her side on the bed.

'I didn't realize how badly you liked me using dono attached to your name,' he lifted her chin up with his fingers and raised a brow. 'Its suspicious, is this a hidden femme dom kink I'm unaware of?'

Kaoru blushed and rolled her eyes.

'Get out of my room Kenshin.'

'Your wish is my command, Kaoru-dono~' he bowed as he stood up to take his leave. He winked at her on his way out and left her grinning like an idiot at being referred to with dono again.

I hope you all liked this chapter UwU

Skenshingumi, I'm happy you enjoyed this story despite its unconventionalities! I won't disappoint you yet!

Please let me know with your reviews, much love!