Sunshine After the Rain: by Phoenix Pinion

It was well past midnight. Quietly, almost spasmodically shivering, Sen lay next to Rin. Though her friend had piled more than four blankets on the girl's prone form, it didn't help the frozen knot in Sen's gut. It had stayed there since her and Haku's talk in the lift.

            Over and over his cruel words flashed in her mind. Don't talk to me. And if you must address me, call me Master Haku. He was the closest thing she had to a friend in this strange spirit world. He had fed her, managed to smuggle her into the spirit world, and helped her to get a job; now he treated he as nothing more than a…a slave, a spirit?

            Sen began to shiver even harder. No, no, it couldn't be true! But, the more she thought about it, the more she realized it was. His eyes were so…dead and expressionless when he had said it. Don't talk to me. And if you must address me, call me Master Haku.  Those cold eyes…drawing her knees up and hugging herself, Sen let herself cry. Thick, pearly tears were shed as her shoulders shook silently; she knew she was now alone. She would have to escape, and steal her parents away, by herself.

            A sudden noise made Sen jolt. Managing to wipe the tears away, she tightly shut her eyes and affronted the presence of sleep just as the door to the girl's quarters was quietly slid open.

            Quiet footsteps and slight rustling was what Sen heard as the intruder carefully stepped over the other slumbering ladies, and her trembling increased from fear as they stopped by her bed. A soft hand suddenly placed itself on hers, and she lightly gasped. Haku's quiet, rich voice murmured, "Meet me at the gardens. Take care not to be seen." As silently as he had entered, the young spirit left.

            A warmth slowly began to creep into Sen's body. Starting at where he had touched her, it made its way to that frozen place inside of her…and, slowly but surely, she stopped shivering.

            …And remember; I am your friend.

            She smiled – not a full, exuberant smile, just a quiet burst of happiness that she hadn't felt in a long while – as she arose.

~Owari

Author's Notes – Wow, that was short! A little shorter than I intended, I guess, but this was written on a spur-of-the-moment thing since my best buddy Darkmoon Samurai got really depressed. This is to show that no matter what, there is sunshine after the rain! Don't be depressed, DS…be happy! I LOVE YOU!!! And yes, this is going to stay a one-shot, and no, I won't edit it or make it longer, since I only wrote this to cheer Darkmoon Samurai up. SIXTY FIVE PERCENT, DARKMOON SAMURAI *ahem* Well anyway, hope everyone else who reads this liked it! ~PP