Date Started: June 12, 2005

Alright… let's see if I can finish this before Tuesday. I leave America that day… and I want this chapter done with! Thank you for the reviews, they are encouraging. :D Let's see… I am hoping to get the said romance going soon… if not in this chapter, then the next for sure. I also hope to get some more action and maybe a little blood? R&R

Butterfly Kisses

By: Hotaru

Rating: R; for language, gore, and some adult material

Standard Disclaimer:

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way whatsoever. I do, however, own any characters that I may introduce as my own, and this plot line. If I catch you stealing it, you grovel at my feet and beg forgiveness, or die.

"Shishio?" The simple questioning of the name escaped his smooth lips. Amber eyes becoming more steely, just as Kaoru's sapphire eyes appeared silver in the ever flashing light of the storm. The room held a serene feeling, as if the calm before the storm. Another crackle of thunder permeated the silence. Battousai sensed her move, her presence moving around the bar and heading towards what he knew was one of the doors.

It was hard to tell if she was still herself, as she left his question unanswered. The doorknob was turned, and the hinges moved. He followed her as she entered what was the bedroom, as lightning revealed a low bed, and a desk with a lamp atop. Again, framed pictures of her and the boy covered it, as well as a picture of a man with calm black eyes, black hair, a few scattered scars marring his otherwise perfect features.

Turning his attention back on the girl, the amber gaze saw her reach into a closet, and bring out a long box. She seemed to have noticed his earlier fixation on the image of the man, for she went over to the frame, picked it up while the box was wrapped in the grip of her other arm, and then looked at it momentarily. Kenshin had now adjusted to the dark and could see her perfectly clear. She looked up at him, the silver eyes flashing black, and then tossed the picture frame across the room, hitting and then shattering the window, as well as the frame that landed in shards on the floor.

"He is the one who caused all of the pain and suffering. He is the one who caused all the beatings, the rape…" She forced her again silver eyes into his contrasting golden gaze, "All the murder." Setting the wooden box on the wooden desk, she unlatched it, and then opened it up. What lay in the box made the assassin almost loose face, as he saw the blood red sheath of a katana resting in black velvet. The cloth that wrapped around its hilt was the same color. All of what had been going on for the past ten minutes continued to boggle his mind. Why the change of self? Why the silver eyes? Why the dai katana!

Kaoru lifted up the deadly weapon with her slender hands, and turned around to face him, "Shishio is going to pay for Yahiko's death." Gripping the sheath tightly, she again went to the closet and pulled out a few clothes, and headed into another room that he knew would be the bathroom. While she was in there changing, he walked over to remains of the picture she had thrown. Picking up the imaged, he studied the face again. It seemed so familiar… where had he seen it before?

When the girl emerged from the room, she was clad in a black shirt, as well as pants and a trench coat. This shocked the captor even more. So many questions were erupting in his mind, as he was witness to so many changes within the woman, "We're leaving." She bluntly stated.

"No. We are not." Kenshin countered, his amber eyes flashing in another bout of lightning. The rain was now pouring in through the broken window, but it remained ignored.

The words seemed to infuriate her even more than when Shishio had been mentioned, "Do you have ANY idea who you are dealing with?" Her voice was filled with death and cold. Her sword had been secured at her hip, and her left hand reached down for the handle, clicking it slightly out of the sheath. Again, shocking words. Her entire personality and demeanor had changed.

"I should be asking you that." He slowly walked towards her, not wanting to alarm this new being. With no knowledge of her power and skill, that could be a death blow, "Not minutes ago, we were having a pleasant conversation, and suddenly, your personality has changed Kaoru."

"I do not go by that name!" She stated bluntly, a little annoyed, "Battousai, I know who you are! You do not know me! I am Polaris, and if you challenge me, it would mean your death." They were now inches apart, no more than five, and her eyes were again black, as black as her hair.

"Aah… she is awake after so long. It is a feat that she awoke so soon…"

"Polaris?" He lowered his voice a notch, barely speaking above a whisper. Not sure how to get rid of this persona, the red head was at a loss of what to do. He had to make a decision, and make it fast. To attack her with the sword, that was expected.

Ryo was again in the room with the one called Shishio, the one who resembled the one in the picture in Kaoru's room. He was now clad in everyday clothes, having no need for loose garments so as not to hurt his once painful to touch skin, "My Polaris…"

A small laugh erupted from her crimson lips, "Yes. Polaris… I shall curse Shishio for what he did. Killing him, hurting her. Ha!" She made a small gesture of reaching up and cupping his chin, "You can either work with me… or against me." Pausing a moment to let her offer sink in, she finished, "Your call."

Getting fed up with this alter ego, the assassin made up his mind, having pondered as to what would catch her off guard. He closed the inches, and placed his hand behind her head, entwining his calloused fingers in her hair, pulling their lips together. The cold black eyes widened in surprise, staring up at his closed ones, and they flashed back to silver, and then, the girl closed her eyes.

DAMNIT!

That was what was heard throughout the entire building as Shishio punched a wall in rage. She was gone, Polaris was gone again from this world, his beauty, his healer and destroyer, his love. The damn assassin had done something to cause his beautiful miko to become buried in a deep sleep again. Barely ten minutes had she been awake, and she had been quieted once more.

The two relished in the gentle kiss a few moments longer, before sapphire blue eyes opened in fear, and she pulled away from him, shaking uncontrollably in what seemed to be fear. Turning around, she placed her hands over her lips, which burnt from the heat of his. Amber eyes stared at her back, shocked at his own actions. He had not kissed a girl in many years, and he had never expected to do so again, especially with a captive. 'At least she is back to her normal self…'

The girl then faced him, her eyes filled with a fear he had not seen from her before, "How.. why… why did you do that!" Her voice was filled with a betrayal of trust. Still brushing her fingertips over her lips, she told him, "I think you need to leave me alone for a little while."

Her captor shook his head in disagreement, "No, I was told to watch you at all times."

She was practically begging him by now, "Please! Just for a little while. You can come back in thirty minutes, but please, I need to be away from you right now." The desperate plea was all he needed, because no matter how much he knew he shouldn't relent to her request, he wanted to leave her alone as well. A simple, curt nod, and then he left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Kaoru fell onto her bed face down, as she became teary eyed, and then broke down, releasing it all. All of the pent up emotions flushed out of her system, if only for that small time. She cried quietly, not uttering a sound, but the tears were all that were needed. She thought too, of the kiss. The first kiss, real kiss filled with true feeling, for the first time since… since him. And truth be told, the girl had enjoyed it, despite her fear of men, a fear that had developed after so many happenings. Slowly, as she became more calm, she cried herself to sleep on her bed, as rain continued to pour in, lightning flash, and thunder crash. This time, she slept a dreamless sleep.

As soon as he closed the door, he walked over towards a window. He stared out into the storm through the blinds, trying to calm things. It was not easy. The assassin was confused as to why he had kissed her. The second she had grasped his chin, the electric shock of the heat from her skin radiating and seeping into his face, that was what had come to him as the source to get rid of this Polaris.

Battousai knew he shouldn't have, knew that he probably could have thought of something else, should have thought of something else. He had been foolish, and the trust she had just created for him earlier that day, was pretty much crushed by now, "Damn…" He scolded himself.

What was now of concern, was the alter ego Polaris. He knew he needed to call Hiko about this. Polaris had been able to shield the power of her ki, which is a feat that only the most powerful can do. And, Shishio… why had his image been placed behind a frame in her room? Why was it even there? It had to be at least three year old, as his face was what it had used to be. Kenshin was confused like he had not been in many years. Reaching into his pocket, he brought out a cell phone, which was only used by him to call Hiko when he could not use his own home phone.

He punched in the speed dial of one as the blue light emitted from the phone made his face glow eerily. The red head hoped that the reception would be as it should, that the phone met up to the standards of working anywhere in any condition. His eyes revealed a small relief as his eardrums picked up the sound of the phone ringing on the other line.

The ringing continued several more moments, when finally the boss's voice picked up, "Yes?"

"Hiko, we have a problem." Himura coolly stated. When he did not continue, the large man pondered, "Well, are you just going to sit there all day, or are you gonna tell me what has happened?"

"She has an alter ego."

Silence reigned for about a minute for the connection, as it seemed the storm was beginning to calm down. Finally, Hiko spoke, "What do you mean 'alter ego?'"

Sighing, Kenshin said, "What I said. We were talking, and the topic of Shishio came up, and I think Kamiya lost an inner battle and this other self came forth. She's dangerous, and I can't read her ki. She is trained in the arts, and has a name."

"Well?"

"Polaris."

The assassin heard an intake of breath on the other line, and then Hiko said, "I have heard that name before. We've got one deadly person here. Did you get Kamiya-san to come back to herself?"

"Yes."

"Thank god. Look, if Polaris wakes up again, she will most likely be prepared for you." Hiko continued, "How is the girl now?"

Quickly replying, the red head said, "She's asleep."

"I want to meet tomorrow at eight in the morning, at the little café downtown. Don't leave her alone, and try not to do anything to have Polaris wake up again. If she does… make sure we have her on our side. The side she's on, will inevitably be the victor. This is why Shishio has been chasing her, doing everything in his power to capture her. I think that gem she-"

Battousai cut Hiko off, "It's now imbedded in her wrist. I think it may be a control mechanism of sorts. It was from the bastard."

"Not good. Try to think of fun topics to talk about or something, keep her mind off of Yahiko, revenge, and Shishio. We'll talk tomorrow." With that, the boss hung up the phone, and the click was heard signaling the connection was closed.

Gripping the cell phone tightly, he hung up as well, and whispered, "I don't think she will talk to me." He thought, 'Things are gonna be difficult again….' He sighed, and walked back to her room, quietly entered, and sat down in a chair, watching her still form sleep.

Alright, I know it's not very long, and probably has a bunch of errors everywhere, but I thought I'd finish it to get it out before I leave! No more chapters for a little while I think… because I am not sure what my internet connections will be like while I'm in Japan. It depends on my host family and whatnot. Anyway, thanks again for reviewing you guys! I was happy when I got four or five reviews within a day! Thank you!

So what do you think of how things are going? I kind of got the Polaris idea from the ten'nyo legends and Ayashi no Ceres. It is not a crossover or anything, but I thought, a powerful being with the power to heal and destroy? Of course, a ten'nyo, even though Shishio calls her a miko. But, a miko can also be a sorceress rather than a priestess. I hope this chapter will spark a greater interest in this story.

Hotaru

Date finished: June 13, 2005