God afternoon! Well, we're here once with a sensual update. I hope it's to your liking. Thank you for your patience and for reading chapter with chapter. Enjoy!

Parazor.- In the end it was not Valentine's update. But at least we updated the story XD thanks for everything.

Chapter 10

Innocence

They were both sure that more than a half hour had passed since they had the courage to pick that pile of rags up and face the violent and unexplainable reality that hit them with great violence. They simply had to be hallucinating; yes, it all had to be a side effect of having been practically buried under the rubble of what was once the palace of Yoshiwara.

Because there was no logical explanation for what they'd just witnessed, and they once again covered it up with the hopes of it all being a mere mundane nightmare.

"N-no…No, no way…NO!", shouted the pair while moving their heads from side to side, in total denial. "It must be our vision, yes, that's it, that's exactly what's happened."

"Hey, you two, stop trying to escape from reality…", said Shinpachi. How the hell was he so calm after seeing what had happened not only to Kagura, but also to Kamui? "It's obvious that someone has performed an excellent magic trick and has replaced them for much younger identical doubles."

"You're clearly also trying to escape." It wasn't like Abuto wasn't shocked about what he was witnessing, but one of the four had to keep a cool head. And being the oldest, he had to take on that role.

"Well they really look alike… I mean, that wizard must be Houdine or Kaito Joker himself", muttered Gintoki nonsensically.

"Considering all the crazy stuff that usually goes on here… The fact that they've rejuvenated those two might not be so absurd… So, what should actually worry us isn't the fact that they're both a couple of kids now, but…"

"Knowing if they'll ever come back to normal or not", the samurai completed the raven-haired woman's debate.

"It all happened after we were suddenly attacked, and those darts were thrown specifically to those two…", claimed young Shinpachi, looking intently at the three adults. "We can't let Kagura-chan or Kamui-san alone. We have to take care of them until we find a way to solve this problem."

"Speak for yourself, Pattsuan… Gin-san still isn't at the age in which you learn how to look after a doll-eyed little girl. Kids are fragile creatures… They're like chrysalises, like those expensive eggs that take several days to be created…Kids are our country's future, Shinpachi-kun."

"No, really, none of what you said makes any sense…", he yelled at him after delivering a blow to his head. "It's our responsibility to look after her."

"Oshin-chan, you're still going to give me the other part of the payment that you promised, right? I'm sure that it can still be fixed", pointed out Gintoki, showing her the broken sword's pieces. "I wasn't expecting it to end up like this."

"You're just thinking about money in a moment like this!?"

"You're the vice-captain, aren't you Abuto?", he mentioned to the brunet that remained beside him in complete silence. He shot him a sidelong glance and then turned to focus his attention on the human lump that remained asleep, under its own clothes.

"That you see me as a babysitter doesn't mean I'll look after him while he's in this state…" They weren't paying him enough to act as a sitter.

"But he's like eight years old… The terrible three have already passed", he encouraged.

"Well, you're the one who enjoys dealing with their childishness", he continued. "I'm sure you could raise him with an iron fist."

"You too!?", exclaimed the glasses boy towards that pair that also didn't want to deal with such a burden.

She'd never had such a heavy responsibility on her shoulders before. In fact, she never imagined herself taking care of a young, frail life that wouldn't just evaluate her behavior, but it would also test her when she had to face the situation the moment the little Yato woke up and opened his mouth.

She was nervous, Abuto noticed it immediately after seeing her index finger playing with the end of her straight black hair, and how she didn't take her eyes off the boy sleeping so peacefully on that big, soft double bed.

"It's weird to see you lose your temper."

"That's because you'll stay calmly standing there while I take care of making everything look real enough so he doesn't want to escape at the first opportunity." That man could be of help for a change.

"Looks like your biggest wish came true", he blurted out, amused.

"Mmm…W-Where… am I?" He rubbed his eyes, chasing away the sleep that still lingered on his eyelids. "Who are you two? And what am I doing here?", he questioned the both adults that he was seeing inside the room.

"Well…"

"You passed out after being too long under the sun… Us Yato can't go around without our umbrellas on a sunny day." Who would've thought, Abuto had handled the situation perfectly well.

"Sun…? But…" It was at that moment that he perceived the great amount of natural light shining through the window. There was no trace of storm clouds outside, or that annoying rain that was so familiar to him. No, beyond those four walls was a luminous world with a wide, infinite blue sky.

"You're on Earth", intervened Oshin after seeing little Kamui's surprised face. "Unlike the planet you were born in, here the sun shines most of the year."

"And what am I supposed to be doing… on Earth?" He got up from the bed, approaching them. "What about my parents? And Kagura?" A slight panic growing in those crystalline pupils was what the raven could see.

"You don't have to worry about them, Kamui." She kneeled down in front of him, to be at the same height and to be able to look at him directly. "Abuto and I are old acquaintances with your father. And he asked us personally to look after you while he takes care of some business here on Earth."

"But… what about my sister?" No, indeed, she wasn't there.

"She wouldn't stay here with us", she informed. "She started crying and your father couldn't leave her. So she's by his side."

"And my mom?"

"She's fine." Lying to a kid wasn't right, but what could she do in that situation? His childhood memories remained intact. "She's being treated in the city hospital, so you shouldn't worry… You'll get to see her when she's discharged." She smiled warmly at him.

"Will that take too long?", he questioned, curious.

"A couple of weeks, probably." That was the amount of time she was hoping it all would go back to normal, or there would be real problems. "Come on, don't look so down. If you want, I can take you to see your sister later."

"I've always thought that raising a child was a pain in the ass, but I think that taking care of the captain is going to be much more painful than that…"

"You want something to eat?", offered the woman to the shy boy. "I can bet you'll love the food we have here."

There's no need to tell a kid twice when it comes to food, and much less to someone whose appetite was something worth mentioning even at the tender age of eight. So there he was, sitting at the table, wolfing down each of the dishes that Oshin had served him.

"Don't forget to chew well or you'll end up choking", suggested the crimson-eyed woman without taking her attention off the one who only had eyes for the food. "In that aspect he hasn't changed in the slightest. However, the way he was as a child is pretty different to his current self… If his father hadn't abandoned him like that and he'd dealt with that situation in a different way, would the Kamui we know today be someone completely different?" She bit her lower lip and stopped the train of her thoughts. " But what nonsense am I thinking? There's no point in wondering if he had… Trying to change him isn't right, even if he's a man who doesn't find satisfaction beyond the battlefields… Just like I chose my own lifestyle despite what I am, I have to respect him as well. Even when I'd like to see him… the way he was back in the old days."

"Is something wrong?" She was so focused on her introspections that she didn't notice Kamui had finished eating and was staring at her with great attention; he'd caught her with an absent presence.

"Ah, no, don't worry. It's just that I was thinking about what I'd cook for tonight's dinner." She concealed her absent-mindedness. "Would you like a tour around the place or would you rather take a nice bath?" She wasn't that far away from the kid, so it was easy to move toward him and take that small grain of rice that had gotten stuck on his left cheek.

"I'll go out to walk around." The boy stood up from his seat and headed for the front door. Oshin could swear he had hidden something under his upper clothes.

"Is it okay to let him roam free around here? He could run away if you get distracted." Those were Abuto's words after coming into the house while Kamui left quietly.

"I wouldn't let him out if I didn't know beforehand that he'll be safe", she spoke at the same time she picked the dirty dishes up and placed them in a single pile. "If he wanders outside the property they'll take care of bringing him back, or in any case, of watching him."

"They? Who are you talking about?" As far as he knew, the rest of the members of the squad were camping far away from there to avoid drawing attention.

"I mean Masamune and the others."

"Wait… You're not talking about those Syx, right?" It's just that she believed everything.

"Of course I am", she affirmed. "It'd be inhuman to leave them out there starving and enduring many hardships. That's why I brought them home to guard… Besides, I've always wanted a pet."

"I'm starting to believe that… you actually enjoy being surrounded by monsters…"

Shortly before nightfall, Oshin understood that not only had that kid managed to get that group of Syx to obey him and take him beyond the limits of her property, but she also realized it had been a really bad idea to dress him with white clothes, because he came back home filthy from head to toe.

"So what on earth have you been doing?"

"Your dogs are pretty strange, but they run a lot. They even managed to break a tree in half with great ease", he related excitedly. Someone had a great time.

"Follow me, I'll take you to have a nice shower." With what she loved that her house was squeaky clean, and that Yato was leaving marks of dirt and mud from his footsteps. "While you bath, I'll get you another change of clothes." She opened the bathroom door, letting him see the nice and conventional bathtub; she opened the hot water and let it fill. "Make sure you wash behind your ears and…"

Oshin felt silent, both for the fact that she'd been completely soaked in water, as for seeing Kamui already in the bathtub; the naughty boy had undressed in the blink of an eye and had jumped into the tub.

"He seems to be enjoying it." There was no point in getting angry about what happened. She'd take a shower later. "Don't forget about the shampoo." She took the bottle and gave it to him.

"This place is much different from the one I was born in." Now his head was nothing more than a world of foam and soapy bubbles. "The sun shines all day long, there's not that annoying humidity here… It looks like… a good place."

"It also has its bad things, but they become petty when you compare them with all the good there is." She had to suppose a kid of his age wouldn't know how to properly clean himself. So she gave him an extra hand to rub that red hair.

"Y-you don't… have to do something like that… I'm already big and I can do it." The boy moved away and continued doing it himself. Though that wasn't what left her completely speechless, but rather that the young boy got embarrassed as soon as she tried to help him.

"Oh, right, right, you're the eldest brother." She clearly found his behavior cute since she found impossible not to smile at that. "But if you're not clean enough when you get out of this tub, I'll put you back in."

"I know how to bathe correctly!"

Bath time passed without any major incidents and dinner was more than enjoyed by the only two persons staying in the house. There was even opportunity for dessert.

"Isn't this house too big for just one person?"

"I guess you're right, but it's fine. Someday there'll be enough people to fill it", she mentioned before drinking from her warm cup of black tea.

"Can we go see my sister tomorrow?" Each of the redhead's actions left Oshin bewildered; maybe because she was used to how Kamui really was, and not to whom he was when he used to be an innocent boy and hadn't been through all those experiences that branded him.

"I don't see a problem in that." She wanted to think there'd be no problem in it. She thought Gintoki was doing a good job babysitting. "After you finish eating, go wash your teeth and go to bed right away. Kids your age should sleep at least eight hours every day."

"You're pretty strict for someone so young… You won't find a husband that way…", he whispered, so quietly that he didn't think she'd hear him; big mistake, the black-haired woman understood his mumbling and was rewarding him with a questioning look.

What could be wrong with a morning walk around the city of Edo, when the only thing someone wished was to enjoy the surroundings, the warmth of the sun and maybe some candy to satisfy the appetite while walking toward the Yorozuya? Maybe nothing, if that pair of strangers decided to move through the streets in a normal way, like any other self-respecting earthling.

Only to a woman like her could occur to go out in the company of something with the appearance of a canine, the size of a horse and the dormant instinct of a serial killer. That was probably the reason why everybody was moving aside in fear.

"People are running away", commented Kamui, who was calmly riding on the Syx's back, and at the same time he held his little umbrella to cover from the merciless morning sun.

"If you treat them right and feed them appropriately, the Syx become really docile. Like the dogs on Earth", she justified. "Besides, pets should be taken for a walk every day."

"You said the man taking care of my sister… is a samurai with a perm… right?", he said after getting off of the huge animal.

"Yes, but why do you mention it?" He didn't need to answer her when she herself was now seeing the aforementioned man running as fast as possible towards them, and the worst was that he wasn't alone, but he was enjoying Shinpachi's company.

"But how the hell could you do something so terrible to her, Gin-san!?"

"I told you, I needed more coins!"

"You dared to pawn a little girl to continue playing!?", he shouted in anger. "You know what will happen to us if something happens to her!? You know what Bouzu-sama will do to us when he finds out!?"

"That's why we have to leave the planet! I have the perfect place where we can live and never be found."

Their little commotion ceased before a simple action. Oshin simply had to put her foot out to make them trip noisily and literally crash into a metal cart that was just casually passing by.

"…P-Pattsuan… I think… I have something buried… in a place where only my p*** should be…"

"…I told you nothing good would come out from escaping your problems…"

"Hey, you two, where's Kagura?" Both men stood up at the same time and turned at an exasperating speed to the woman who looked suspiciously calm.

"O-Oshin-chan… well, you see…"

"Gin-san traded her for coins for the Pachinko. So now we'll go get her back, right Gin…?" The silver-haired man was already running away, leaving him with all the trouble.

"Get the samurai." It wasn't like Oshin had just spoken that order to the air. They knew it as soon as they saw the man's escape conclude the moment that animal grabbed him as if he was a mere wooden stick.

"C-Cou…Could you tell your cute pet to let go of me? I'm starting to feel dizzy from all the blood leaving my body…", he begged, with a staring off into space, and with his body trembling.

"Gin-san, it hasn't actually bitten you…" And that was true. The animal held him without hurting him, but the other was already making the drama of his life.

"Shimura, you think you can look after Kamui for a moment?", she asked the black haired boy. "Sakata and I will go look for Kagura."

"Alright."

"We'll be back soon, so try not to get the four-eyes in trouble."

"Who are you calling 'four-eyes'!?"

"I'd rather go with you two." He had already taken a look at the young man and didn't consider him capable of dealing with him or any other living thing.

"How am I supposed to interpret that look!? Why did it feel so insulting, as if he's looking down or pitying me!?" And Kamui just looked the other way. "Hey, stop trying to look cool when you're just an eight-year-old kid!"

"Time to go, Sakata", she announced after starting to walk along the Syx.

"Shinpachi-kun, don't leave me, don't let them take me!" The girlish screams didn't work on the young samurai, neither did his fake tears. "I have a bad feeling… One where every one of my limbs end up stored inside wooden boxes all around Edo!"

"Gin-san, real men have to pay for their actions."

Since they didn't allow pets inside the establishments, the playful Syx had to remain outside, probably scaring all the potential costumers off. But little things like those did not interest the apothecary; she was there to force Gintoki to recover the girl who he had traded for coins to continue his unhealthy vice that was the Pachinko.

And while the silver-haired man wanted to keep losing his money and his dignity in those shiny, colorful machines, Oshin pressured him with her gaze to continue walking and to prevent her from calling her pet to educate him a little.

"You know, I can feel your hard stare on me", stammered the man. "Don't you think you should relax a little? That kind of stress isn't good for a young woman like you… You should take care of your skin."

"Which one of them did you hand Kagura over to?", she asked after stopping before the store's counter. In there, most of the shop employees were gathered.

"Mmm… I'm pretty sure it was a guy with a beard…"

"What kind of beard?", she questioned him, not to play along, but because everyone in there had a beard.

"And he also wore glasses, a weird checkered raincoat, and for some strange reason he was carrying lollipops and toys… That's what he wanted to give me in exchange for Kagura, but I told him I was a big boy and that at my age, the only thing I cared about were full-scale dolls and that they're 4x4. Those who don't care to try new things, who don't mind waking up with some whipped cream or weird objects over their bo-…." That was the last straw for the raven-haired girl, so she had no other choice but to deliver a 'soft' blow to his head that literally buried him on the ground up to his neck.

"We're looking for a little girl around four years old, blue eyes and red hair, with oriental clothes", she addressed each one of those who worked there, but they simply denied having seen a child with those features.

"Though maybe the guy out there knows something", added one of the workers.

How did she not notice an awfully suspicious man like that, who was looking into the interior of the establishment while breathing heavily over the window glass? He looked like one of those stalkers that'd be pretty scary to run into while walking through an alley in the middle of the night.

"Oh, there he is, he's the one who made the exchange with me", exclaimed Gintoki after resurfacing from the insides of the pavement and pointing at the culprit with a serious and determined look. "Don't think I'll forgive you for what you've done. How dare you lie to me and tell me you were dedicated to bringing happiness and smiles to children? I won't forgive you giving me only 390 coins when you said it was 400!"

"Are you seriously making a fuss only because he gave you ten coins less!? And how could you believe he's a friend of the children when you can notice right away that he wants to do something else with them!?", scolded the woman. And yes, she buried the samurai on the ground once again. "Hey you, with the pedophile and stalker face, give me back the girl this idiot handed to you."

"Never, I'll never do that!" Were they all idiots in Edo or did she simply have bad luck with the people around her? There was that guy, sticking his tongue out at her, pulling his pants down while showing her his obscene backside as a clear sign of mockery.

It was a pity that situations like those had quick and practical solutions: like throwing Gintoki against that guy, not giving a damn that there was a thick window in between.

"There, I feel better with myself already." Now that there was another door she could go out through, and even a couple of human rugs, she could leave peacefully.

"Be s-smart… and tell her… what she wants…", recommended Sakata to the man. "S-she has an… overprotective-obsessive-compulsive mother… complex…"

"I hope you've already written your wills." They couldn't care less about the woman's words; what was actually causing them incomparable fear was seeing that animal in front of them, showing them its beautiful white fangs.

"HELP!"

It had not been more than half an hour since Oshin had left in the company of Gintoki, but that time was more than enough to worry a certain little Yato, and at the same time to make Shinpachi nervous, who didn't know how he was supposed to treat the infant, especially considering he had an already well defined idea of his personality.

So based on worldly logic, that he was a child and that he knew they'd be back safely with Kagura, he went to look for some sweets to the kitchen to give the boy.

"They're not of the best quality, but I'm sure you'll like them." They were both seated facing each other inside the Yorozuya, with the ticking of the clock in the background.

"Mmm…" He'd taken one of those dangos and ate it in total silence.

"Dealing with him is harder than I thought… I mean, I don't know how he's going to react or what I can or can't say… What's taking Gin-san so long?"

"Someone's knocking on the door", expressed Kamui, focusing his attention on the glasses boy.

And indeed, someone rang the doorbell a few times. So if it wasn't a debt collector, the old hag to whom they owed the rent for three months, or one of the eccentric personalities that lived in the neighborhood, it could be a client; and with that in mind, Shinpachi stood up and went to open the door.

"Good morning", he greeted the girl standing outside. "Can I help you?"

"This is the Yorozuya, isn't it?", she asked with a soft smile on her lips. "I'd like to make a request."

Her eyes were of an aquamarine tone, her skin white enough to make the pink hue of her short hair a visual delight. Even those pistachio hairclips holding her bangs gave her a peculiar childish charm.

She wore short, black shorts, tight against her hips, brown boots and a sky-blue blouse with a central zipper that did its best to remain completely close thanks to certain attributes of the girl.

"You're right." Like every teenager in that difficult age, he couldn't help shifting his attention off the right path; he was a man after all.

"So, do you think you could listen to my request?"