Hullo! Big summer blow out! Yoohoo~

Gin, most animals in our world are more or less used to air, sea, and road travel via evolution, though their ancestors likely weren't as adept for such travel methods. The theory applies here too. Descendants of domesticated species will continue to adapt and evolve to a dynamically progressing civilization. So by this timeline, most animals are now acquainted with space travel - a common thing here. Perhaps exotic animals in the wilds are far less adept and would need training, but a Belyayev - which is what Kitsune is - is not an exotic animal. She's as domesticated as they come and so can handle some space hopping. Mama ain't raise no b****.

That being said, let's get into it! Happy reading~

'WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU GOT SHOT IN THE FOOT?' Yahiko winced and held the phone away from his ear, for once not inclined to mouth off his sensei for getting upset. He'd be pretty worked up too if it felt like the world was out to fuck the kid he was supposed to be looking after in the ass every time the supposed kid stepped out of his house. There was a heavily stressed sigh on the other end of the phone and a wariness in her tone of voice. 'Damnit, Yahiko how did you even get home?'

Yahiko winced, knowing she wouldn't like his answer.

'I... hitchhiked?'

'What do you mean hitchhike-? Yahiko!' Her voice rose several decibels in indignation and disbelief. 'Did you climb all the way to the fucking highway with a bullet in your foot?'

'What no -!'

'...'

'...'

'...'

'Okay yeah, kinda but they managed to get the bullet out and have it cauterized and everything!' Yahiko let out an exasperated sigh of his own. He didn't know how to handle Kaoru as a worrying adult, he liked her better when she gave off older bratty teenage sister vibes. 'I barely did any climbing even - I got a bystander to hover me up to a bridge so I could hitch a ride Kaoru. I took a hover vehicle to the subway terminal, and then boarded a bus. That's all, I swear!' He secretly hoped she wouldn't ask about how he got the money for all that - he wasn't sure he'd be able to explain pick-pocketing off of thugs to Kaoru and also survive till the end of the day.

'The key to the first aid kit is beside the keys to the training gi lockers in the dojo,' she said finally, resigned. The relief in his sigh when she didn't ask about the money was palpable. 'You said it was cauterized yeah? You'll find burn ointments to slow down the scarring process and I'll pick up anti-keloid medication from my family doctor.' He could practically hear as her face grew contemplative while speaking more quietly, 'hmm... I should probably bring him over too.'

'Whatever makes you happy Kaoru, but she did a pretty good job as it is as far as I can tell,' he took a good look at his foot. It was very neatly done, given the crude conditions under which the wound was addressed. He wondered what kind of person could make a mean pseudo-nurse would also get mixed up with the wrong crowd. Maybe a medical intern who got too greedy and sucked into working for a mafia family? He groaned at the idea of more mafioso in Tokyo.

'Did you hear what I just said, you little brat?'

Ah, there was the Kaoru he knew and love - despised.

'Yeah yeah not do anything to mess up my foot. Stop ya nagging ya damn hag.'

'You little hellion-!'

He hung up on her and snickered to himself.

...

Kenshin paced up and down the street before the entrance to the Kamiya compound, working up his last nerve as he was so often want to do whenever he intended to visit Kaoru and Yahiko. He had only been over there twice since they had wrapped up the whole affair with Yahiko and Kuujo, and only once had he managed to catch Kaoru. The first time he ha missed her and spent the day in Yahiko's company. While telling Yahiko repeatedly about teaching him the Hiden Mitsurugi style, the boy was an all-around not-so-bad company to be in. He was half glad he to have missed Kaoru in fact, realizing that he was a lot more at a loss on how to interact with her again than he had thought. When he managed to get her the second time, she was in the middle of teaching Yahiko and the three of them had spent an afternoon of lunch and small talk. When it was over, Kenshin had offered to handle the dishes but ended up fully immersing himself in housework to get out of hanging around Kaoru alone.

He was immensely ashamed of how he handled the whole matter that eventually got Yahiko in trouble. How he chose to tell her he was leaving and the anger and hurt he had caused her before she threw his flowers back at him. He was sure that mixing up with her was far from ideal, but it had happened. And instead of nurturing his good fortune he had damn well-ruined everything and put them in an awkward place.

'Gee Kenshin, I'm surprised I haven't lost all my respect for you yet.'

'Yahiko!' Kenshin's brows rose, half-surprised. He was faintly aware of his presence in the compound. He could recognize Kaoru's presence anywhere, so he knew it couldn't be her - it was half the reason he paced outside, hoping she'd run into him and he'd be directly confronted with interacting with her and unable to put it off. But he didn't think Yahiko would be watching him as he fretted and worked up his nerves. He cursed himself for being distracted like that and looked at the boy that was leaning over a wall that was obviously much taller than him. Kenshin opened his mouth to say something, then paused before closing it again and holding his chin contemplatively. 'I have several questions.'

'Sure you do.' Yahiko drawled with a wry grin. 'Help a cripple down first, yeah?'

'Cripple?' The redhead furrowed his brows as he complied and lowered the boy down. 'What do you - oh. I see.' Kenshin noticed the boy's wound then and frowned. 'Who did this to you, and where did this happen?'

The change in Kenshin's demeanor made Yahiko nervous and the boy laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

'Oh-kay... not so surprised why the respect is still there anymore,' he offered the samurai bounty hunter a helpless shrug. 'It's not as bad as it looks?' Kenshin's brows furrowed deeper in disbelief and the faintest hints of annoyance. 'Honest! The pain killers basically numb the pain unless I aggravate the damn thing.'

'While I'm happy to know you aren't in pain Yahiko, that's not what I asked you.'

'Yeah yeah,' the boy sighed as he pushed the gate to the compound open and walked in with the smallest of limps. 'It's a long story and I don't want to repeat myself since Kaoru's almost here. I'll tell you all about it when she gets here with her doctor, But it's nothing to worry about, honest!'

Kenshin's frown lessened a bit and he let out a sigh.

'Very well then.' He said finally as he slid off his shoes and entered the dojo. 'You both are magnets for trouble then, aren't you?' He chuckled softly and said to himself. 'I guess I was worried all this for nothing at all...'

And to think he blamed himself for making her life complicated.

With a small, vacant smile, Kenshin offered his hand to carry Yahiko on his back, but the boy - obstinate child that he was - scowled at the hand, offended. He held onto the arm instead and started to lead the older man to the kitchen.

'I got enough us take-out for lunch and dinner, so I can just warm up the extra noodles for you and worry about dinner later.'

'Thank you, Yahiko, but you don't have to do that. I'd hate to impose,' Kenshin shook his head, amused as Yahiko tried to direct him into taking a seat. 'If you insist on me eating though I'll be happy to whip up something for myself instead of shortening your rations.' His eyes glinted mischievously and his vacant smile turned calculating as he scanned the kitchen and took note of the empty boxes of store-bought ice cream mochi. 'Perhaps to some snacks?'

Yahiko, none the wiser to Kenshin's indulgent sweet tooth, shrugged at the suggestion.

'Suit yourself Kenshin,' he limped to the fridge and opened it. 'There's mochi and some leftover chocolate dango I think.'

Kenshin's eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction.

'Excellent.'

Several moments later Kenshin's dark ravenous sweet mouthed altered was sated and the samurai had taken it upon himself to double-check Yahiko's foot to make sure it didn't need urgent attention.

'Geez, Kenshin I would know if my leg had a chance of rotting off!'

The redhead gave the boy a wry look and smiled patronizingly.

'Of course Yahiko. What's the over twenty years of experience I have over you, and the over half of it that I spent on the streets?'

Said boy frowned and rolled his eyes.

'Fine I get it, no need to get all damn smug.'

The samurai laughed and shook his head.

'That mouth must get you in a lot of trouble with Kaoru-dono then, I'll bet.' He mused with a teasing tone. Yahiko stuck out his tongue in childish defiance and crossed his arms. 'I thought so,' he hummed then turned his attention to the foot. 'Wow, this is pretty well done. Was there a doctor around that offered to help?'

Yahiko opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a loud yell.

'YAHIKO!'

There was a quieter sigh that followed Kaoru's panicked yell, and a projected "Tadaima." The voice sounded well-worn and gravelly, with an aged tenor behind it.

'Okaerinasai!' Kenshin called back and stood up to receive Kaoru and her guest from the dojo and into the kitchen. Yahiko raised a brow when the redhead turned back to him. 'I'll get her right here so you don't have to limp around any longer, yes?'

Yahiko rolled his eyes.

'Like I have a choice.'

...

Kaoru's family doctor, Dr. Gensai, was a kind sprightly old man with an upbeat, ever-smug, and jovial attitude that said that of course he was always right, he had enough grey hairs to prove it. He had enough bite to talk down smart-assed Yahiko into submission and Kenshin - who held on to the elder man's medical kit in assistance - watched with fascination as the old man worked away at putting anti-burn scar catalysts to work on Yahiko's cauterized bullet wounds, a small smile on his face.

'Heh, didn't think you were into older men, Kenshin.' Yahiko snorted when he noticed the samurai.

'Oh quiet you!' Kaoru scolded the child from the burner where she was brewing tea, as Kenshin gaped and opened his mouth to defend himself. Alas, the bounty hunter found himself gushing and stuttering, to the doctor's amusement.

'As the looker that I am, I'm still sprightly enough to pull a man like that young gangsta if I wanted to.' Dr. Gensai let out a haughty humph, fixing his eyes across the kitchen island and on the door that led towards the dojo. The others followed his line of sight to find Sanosuke walking into the kitchen. The lanky man blinked, then shrugged, deciding to roll with it.

'Jii-sensei ain't wrong. He's still got it.' He agreed and smirked when Yahiko and Kaoru made gagging noises. He eyed the room and rose a brow in casual curiosity at the sight. 'Now this looks like an interesting story that I, unfortunately, do not have time to hear about.' He looked at his partner and raised his hands to dangle a set of keys. 'You can fill me in when we meet back up. I've got an appointment to keep and I need to take the BaNza. Kitsune-chan's coming with, so don't miss her too much.'

'I won't.' Yahiko muttered petulantly, but everyone ignored him.

'Is the Battousai fueled up?'

'Full tank baby,' Sanosuke threw a lazy salute at his partner and then turned his attention to the other occupants of the kitchen. 'I'll be seeing you later Jou-chan. And hey, brat,' Yahiko scowled, but held his tongue, 'stop trying to get yourself killed.'

'I-!' but Kaoru raised her hands and shot the boy an exasperated look, interrupting his protests.

'Thank you, Sano! Tell the kid!'

'Anytime Jou-chan, it's always a pleasure,' he winked at her and then offered a lazy bow to an incredibly amused Dr. Gensai, who was preparing anti-keloid shots to inject directly into Yahiko later. 'My condolences for being tasked with keeping this one amongst the living, sensei.'

The doctor laughed as Yahiko sputtered in indignation while Kaoru and Kenshin exchanged looks as they tried not to laugh. Sanosuke sauntered off and they watched him go with grins.

'Crazy man, that one,' Kenshin shook his head but he was still smiling.

'What I want to know is how he got into my house at all.' The sensei mused, clucking her tongue as she began to pour the tea into her quaint blue china set. 'I was sure I locked the gate...'

'Well, your security measures are pretty lax as it is, Kaoru-dono~' Kenshin sing-sang, half-mischievous as Kaoru carried the set towards them and put everyone's teacups by their sides on the island. She opened her mouth to object, but her student beat her to it.

'He's not wrong Tanuki-senpai,' Yahiko said mock-sweetly.

'Shut up brat,' but she was smiling at Kenshin as she said it. Dr. Gensai couldn't help but smile at the whole exchange. It had been long since Kaoru had been so... at peace.

'What are you smiling about Jii-sensei?'

'Yahiko! Why are you the way that you ar-!'

'I'm just happy my dear friend's daughter isn't alone again,' he said truthfully and smiled at Kaoru as he helped himself to a sip of tea. She had the grace to look flustered, staring at her toes and mumbling some unintelligible nonsense about life and lemonades. 'You've made some very interesting friends, Kaoru-chan. I'm glad.'

'Yeah, she has,' Yahiko said proudly, forgetting he was supposed to be the self-appointed antagonist of his sensei's life. He preened at the doctor as he spoke, 'And to think Kenshin almost ruined i-'

'Yahiko why don't you tell us about how you got the bullet wound already?' Kenshin's interruption was hurried and uncharacteristically loud, to Kaoru's wry amusement. He sipped noisily on his tea and then scrunched up his face as the liquid burned his tongue. Dr. Gensai glanced between the two adults with suspicion and then looked back at an embarrassed and blushing Yahiko blushed who cleared his throat.

'Right. Sorry.' He took a minute to recover from his former oblivious blunder before narrating the events that led him to his current predicament. Kaoru couldn't conceal her morbid fascination with the femme fatale of Yahiko's ordeal, wide-eyed as Yahiko described her hard-edged attitude and skillfulness with harming and healing people. Kenshin's expressions were far more reserved, though he seemed to be contemplating on her possible identity. Yahiko's description of the mystery woman was vaguely familiar. It was in his choice of adjectives, like "vixen", "layered", "double pistol-wielding" and "lavender". The name Shinomori was definitely known, though he didn't know of anyone in the region that seemed to fit Yahiko's and was connected to the said person.

Red lipstick, lavender haori, and "feathery type bang situation" had Kenshin draw out a mental profile in an attempt to match with someone from his mental catalog of people he knew, pending bounties, or both - at least within the Kanto region. He made enough matches to realize that he knew enough people who fit the bill one way or the other for a pursuit to be meaningless. However, the bounty hunter's mouth twitched as he made one of a couple of matches to both, and then let out a quiet sigh. Kaoru, opposite him across the island, noticed the nearly imperceptible expression, but quickly returned to Yahiko's narration. When he was done, the adults let out a range of sighs.

'Well it's a damn shame to have someone as talented in the medical field to be involved in the wrong crowd,' the doctor said finally, wary as he finished the last of the tea he had been sipping while listening to Yahiko.

'You think she might be a doctor?' Kaoru asked curiously, frown lines on her face as she tried to recall something that now so effusively eluded her. Kenshin watches as she imitated Dr. Gensai in sipping tea. She set what was left of it on the island's top, aware of the redhead's attention and decidedly ignoring it.

'Possibly, with her making my job easier despite having so little to work with. Probably an ex-military nurse or some other practitioner who decided to work for... questionable clients after leaving service,' the doctor mused and then gestured to his patient, 'well if the young man's description of her skill with guns is anything to go by.'

'Why do you ask?' Yahiko snorted. 'Think you know her? No offense Kaoru but she's out of your league-' Yahiko interrupted himself with a yell as Kaoru emptied the remaining of her cup on his head. 'Hey! Tanuki! What did you do that for?'

'Pest control,' she said smugly under the child's glare. 'I don't think I've met her though. no.' She added when she noticed that the other men, though amused by her behavior, seemed to be waiting for her reply to the boy's question. She regarded Kenshin with equal curiosity. 'Think you might have Kenshin?'

The redhead blinked when he saw that Kaoru had caught him observing her, and mildly wondered if she had noticed faint recognition in his features. He shrugged and finished his cup of tea in one fell swoop, before sighing and replying to her.

'I'm afraid I know some people who fit the bill in many ways, so while one or two might seem more likely than others...'

'-they're too vague of leads to do anything useful for us. Right.' She nodded and then sighed, while Kenshin's brows raised in surprise. Yahiko and Dr. Gensai watched them both, the much younger bystander being wary and the older one amused.

'"Us"? "Do anything"?'

'Well yes,' Kaoru gave him an annoyed look. 'Of course "us", Kenshin?' She glared at him. 'Planning to sideline me again?'

'None of that, Kaoru-dono,' Kenshin shook his head patiently and shrugged. 'Why would we do anything? We know nothing of the situation. Yahiko was in the wrong place at the wrong time and escaped with his life and a story to tell.' The bounty hunter's lips curled in the smallest of smiles. 'Did you think this a mission debrief for a crusade of justice?' Kaoru blushed, realizing that she was treating the whole thing as some sort of debriefing as supposed to just being a crazy event in someone's normal day-to-day affairs. Her student's normal day-to-day. He wasn't part of that life anymore, whatever happened there was nothing more than an interesting but dangerous event to a by-standing Yahiko.

'Sorry,' the apology was soft as she finally looked away, cheeks red with embarrassment and wishing she didn't waste what would have been a good cover to hide her face on Yahiko.

'I say you're already addicted to adventure Kaoru, you're an adrenaline junkie now, you fiend,' Dr. Gensai laughed and teased her. 'One of these days you have to tell me about them and how you got so hooked on it~' Kaoru blushed even more as he and Kenshin chuckled, but Yahiko was confused.

'But why aren't we helping her?' he asked, his voice heavy with confusion. 'She could be in trouble, and she helped fixed my foot.'

'Oh Yahiko...' Kaoru sighed, her heart going out to the boy as it usually did whenever his age started to show. 'Things are not so black and white.'

'I know that and I get it,' the boy insisted, half irritated by her patronizing tone. 'But what if she's got a bounty? Or did the people chasing her did? Like the Shinomori guy?'

'Don't worry about it Yahiko, I know my work better than you think, the samurai was amused as the boy blushed. 'With this in mind, I'll keep an eye and ear open to see if anything builds a picture for me to focus our hunting efforts on. hat little I have can't point me anywhere distinct yet, but if it's something that involves a bounty, then it means someone is wanted for justice.' He grinned at the boy, 'I see you're becoming an adventure junkie yourself young Yahiko.'

'Stop it~' Yahiko whined, but the adults laughed, though Kaoru's was born of a relief to have the attention taken off of her. The four moved on to other lighter topics of small talk as Dr. Gensai started to pack up his things to start heading home.

'My grandkids are probably putting their minder through the wringer,' the old man chuckled, 'poor fella. Too cute for the girls to not interrogate and uncover any nefarious plans to run away with their old man~ like I would leave my darlings for any fine-arsed whipper snapper.'

'Jii-senpai!' Yahiko and Kaoru made horrified expressions and Kenshin lightly laughed, happy to be in the presence of the jovial elderly. It had been quite some time since he had been around older people not neck-deep in crime, or other aspects of life different from that of the mundane civilian lifestyle. Kenshin quite enjoyed the simple beauties of the mundane civilian lifestyle a lot. The doctor bid them goodbye as he stepped out of the compound, all four younger people bowing respectfully.

'You two take care of Kaoru and don't give her any grey hairs alright!'

'Yes sir!' Kenshin bowed again as Yahiko muttered a non-commital maybe. Kaoru rolled her eyes but waved him off all the same with a fond smile.

'It's been so long since Ayame and Suzume-chan visited Dr. Gensai! I'll pick them up for a playdate with Yahiko one of these days!'

'Oh, I'm sure they'll love that!'

'Hey-!' But they ignored him, calling out more farewells as the old man got further and further. When he had gotten out of hearing shot the three retreated into the compound and were content to relax on the steps of the dojo's entrance.

'I'll set you up on a rehabilitation program for lower extremities injuries.' Kaoru began after some moment of silence, to Yahiko's display. 'The Kamiya Kashin Style is old and well preserved Yahiko, we've had generations of wounded students and borrowed kata from jujutsu, iaido, yoga, zen, and aikido to help with regaining mobility and getting functionality - each set depending on what has been injured of course.'

'I'm less concerned with the credibility and the fact you're trying to give me work as an invalid.' Yahiko snorted, though Kenshin was impressed by the names he was hearing. Yoga was at least from a galactical colony away.

Yahiko,' Kaoru's voice was flat, 'your leg is one micro-bioengineering surgery away from that foot looking like it never existed. But your school fees don't cover that.'

'I don't pay to be here!'

'Exactly,' Kaoru smirked when Kenshin chuckled at her deadpan reply and then sighed as she returned her focus to Yahiko, 'it's only for a week. Your leg would be good in no time.'

'Whatever,' the boy grumbled and retreated into the dojo, leaving the adults to themselves. Suddenly Kenshin memory recalled his fretting by her gate as he prepared for this very moment.

'It has been a while since we've been in the other's company like this,' he began finally, tentative in his approach to breaking the ice. Kaoru upturned her nose and sniffed derisively.

'Through no fault of mine.' But she smirked as she said it, and snickered when Kenshin looked like he was about to start sweating bullets. Her smirk softened into a smile and she rose to her feet. 'Since Sanosuke will be gone for a bit, you'd need a place to stay, yes?' He nodded, not trusting himself to speak and ruin the magic of her words thawing a recent but long enough history of cold, awkward moments. 'Well, that's great! Take-out is neat and all but, I miss home-cooking and I'm near desperate enough to start cooking again.'

'While I doubt it could be so bad,' he answered finally, a small smile on his face, 'I imagine you'd take another option if it were available?'

'If? Kenshin,' she smirked again, 'you're already here!'

And they laughed and as Kaoru offered her hand to pull the samurai bounty hunter to his feet, he wondered how she made this so easy so quickly, and what could have taken it so long that she hadn't tried it yet.

'There is some take-out Yahiko managed to get that I can work with.' He offered serenely as they walked up the steps. She smiled at him and nodded, and Kenshin found himself captivated by the way her blue eyes glinted in the sun.

'Alright then,' she pulled him into the dojo and practically skipped across to make it to the door leading towards her home. Kenshin managed to have his foot slide the shoji door shut as he was dragged along, noting to gently broach the matter of Kaoru's security measures with her later, when he was settled in. 'I'll set up the guest room for you in the meantime, alright?'

'Hm?' Kenshin returned his focus to her and then smiled softly. 'Of course. Thank you, Kaoru-dono.'

She seemed to blush against her will. Kenshin noted that a flustered Kaoru would probably be the cutest thing he'd ever see till his dying day.

Final term paper defense done and dusted! Sigh although I do need to pay for a completed summer course so I do get my transcript and certificate along with everyone else. That sucks.
But I'm effectively done and unemployed! Not for long, but yeah! Thanks for the congratulations wishes (hang in there Msulle, you'll soon blink and realize you're all done and supposed to be a functional member of society soon enough~ good luck with your journey!)

Look at me posting a chapter without any author's notes last time! I almost did it again too! I'm trying to pump out these chapters consistently till life distracts me again, and I've been looking forward to this arc for so long! Your feedback made me really happy, and I managed to get an unnamed guest to drop a review as well as a new follower! Guess you guys are excited for this too huh.

Had to rework some outline plots for this arc, and that resulted in Aoshi debuting much earlier. That means I'll need to rework the arch involving him a little bit too, but no major upheavals of course. I'll be going into spoilers if I reveal how that works, so hope you all can bear with me and simply see this though!

Kenshin's back! And won't be gone for a while if Kaoru can help it, loveable idiot that he is sometimes.

Commentary and reviews are always welcome, and I'll be so happy to (keep) hear(ing) from you!

I'll be seeing you in a bit of a minute, yeah?3

=UwU=