Here's Chapter 4 of "Snow."  Constructive C & C are welcome.

-Shuichi Minamino
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SNOW
Chapter 4

	I felt a strange calmness coming over me.  Being blind could do strange
things to a person.  I seemed to be able to feel things around me much
better.  The world of darkness was not frightening me as much as it had been
before.  But...but it was the power within me that was threatening to tear
me apart.  Somehow...somehow losing my vision had caused something within me
to surface.  And I didn't want that, didn't want that at all.

	I didn't know how it happened.  I lost my temper, and the next thing I
knew, things were shattering.  I felt flower petals and I reached out to
touch them.  I knew immediately that they were roses, one of my favorite
plants.  It didn't seem logical.  Roses weren't suppose to survive in the
winter, not in the brutal weather here.  I almost killed mother with them.
It was crazy, I knew that.  But the whole thing was bizarre.  I had suddenly
become a monster who could conjure plants upon anger.  A monster who could
lose control of himself and kill even the one he loved and cared about.
What was to become of me?  I did not know.

	Then there was that strange man and his apprentice.  They said that they
were from the government.  Yes, I trusted them.  One might be thrilled if he
was chosen to be involved in some type of top secret project, but I was not.
He told me that he had unusual abilities and I've sensed it.  He told me
that I too, have potential.  This man, who called himself Koenma, said that
he knew a way to bring my vision back.  Nothing was making sense anymore.
It was just crazy.

	Of course, admist all these chaos, there was the one person that I couldn't
take my mind off of: Hiei.  The one who saved me.  I told no one of it
because I sensed that he didn't want to be made known.  I've been trusting
my instinct ever since I lost my vision and I knew that I was right to trust
them all.  I didn't know why, but I just knew and I was sure.  So I just
waited in my room for their "further action."  I felt like a prisoner
waiting for his judgement, not knowing what may befallen him on the next
day.  But I was desperate.  I couldn't stand to live in the darkness, and I
couldn't stand the thought of hurting mother.  She was my only family.
Desperate people are willing to take drastic actions.  And I was willing to
give it a try.

	A presence interrupted my thoughts.  It was Hiei.  I could always sense
him, he seemed to emit some type of strange presence.  I felt him
approaching me slowly and cautiously.

	"What are you afraid of?" I asked.  "I'm not going to attack you, you know."

	"Hn!" Again, his usual answer.

	"Koenma has proposed that I be your escort during our journey to find the
cure." He said quietly.

	"Journey?"

	"To Makai."

	"Makai?"  I was very lost.  What was he talking about?  Makai?  What in the
world was that?

	"Koenma would be here again tomorrow," Hiei said. "I'm sure he would
explain everything to you."

	"Hiei," I started. "you are not telling me something.  What is it?"

	He was silent for a minute, then he replied. "Nothing."

	"You don't like Mr. Koenma very much, do you?"

	"That's none of your concern."  He remarked.

	That was harsh.  I was taken back.  "It is my concern when people who are
involved in my welfare do not get along."

	"I did not say anything about that," Hiei replied coldly. "no harm will
come to you."

	"You didn't answer my question."

	"You talk a lot, you know that?" He said.  "Just like K- "

	"Like whom?"  There was something about the way he was going to mention the
name.  I couldn't quiet place it.  When he didn't respond for the next five
minutes, I assumed that he wanted to drop the topic.  What a strange man.

	"You reminded me of someone who died twenty years ago," he suddenly said.
"someone of great importance to me."

	"Oh...I...I'm very sorry..."  I stammered.  I shouldn't have pried him
about the matter.  Now I felt like a jerk for being insensitive.

	"Hn!"  Hiei said as I heard him turning and walked in the direction of the
window.  He was going to leave again.  I felt terrible.  Why was I being
such a jerk these days?  I had been ungrateful, rude, and even
life-threatening.  I hated myself for what I've become.  The window made a
creaking noise as Hiei opened it.

	"Never again..." I heard him said before he departed for the night.

-------------------Chapter 4 (END)---------------

	      --Shuuichi Minamino
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	    *      Shuuichi Minamino / Silver Fox / Youko Kurama       *
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	    *  Firm Supporter of the YYH Dynamic Duo: Kurama X Hiei    *
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	    *   Innocent Student At Large in Northwestern University   *     
            *              http://www.kurama.ranma.com                 *  
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