Disclaimer: I don't own Higurashi, Umineko or Elfen Lied.
A/N: The last chapter and this one are prologues to the two sides of this story (that's why they're kinda short :/). This chapter may seem unconnected with the previous one, but just like real Higurashi chapters: it'll all come together eventually :3 Okay, read on :D
"Sonozaki-san! Table 20!"
Seeing a chance to escape, the green-haired waitress backed away politely and all but ran to her next table (which was thankfully on the other side of the restaurant). By being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Shion had been trapped in a dangerous argument between two drunk, burly men on the verge of starting a brawl. Unfortunately, this event has been becoming increasingly common to many waitresses at Angel Mort, so she was relieved to see that her next customer was not drunk, rough-looking or even male.
Table 20 was occupied by a slender girl who looked about Shion's age. Her clothes gave her away: she was not from Okinomiya. There were two dark blue ribbons in her long pink hair and one deep red one around her neck; a long black tank top over a magenta shirt, and red flats over striped black and grey knee-high socks. She sat hunched over with her arms folded on the table, and her head was lowered wearily. Framed by the large window beside her, the weak sunlight bathed the girl in a soft glow, illuminating the melancholy expression on her face. The sight of her struck Shion as strangely tragic. At this end of the restaurant the bustle and chatter of waitresses and customers was somewhat muted, and all the nearby tables were unoccupied. This girl seemed completely out of place, as if she had dropped in from another world.
Nevertheless, Shion treated her like everyone else who came to Angel Mort.
"Welcome to Angel Mort! What would you like to order?"
The teen slowly raised her head. As their gazes met, Shion nearly stumbled back in shock. Satoshi-kun, she thought instinctively. The girl's irises brought back painful memories. In many of them, the eyes were the same. Haunted. Burdened. Guilty. And a deep, sorrowful red. What had this girl been through? Had she also been abused? Did she have a sibling to protect? Had she . . . killed someone? Shaking off these depressing thoughts, Shion realized her customer was talking to her.
". . . anything," mumured the girl.
"Pardon? I'm sorry, I didn't catch all of that," gasped Shion, flustered. Don't think about other things while a customer is requesting something! And that means stop thinking RIGHT NOW!
". . . money on me, so I can't order anything. I just needed a place to rest a bit. Is that alright?"
"To rest?" Shion repeated. She had never seen this person in Okinomiya before; her hair and clothes were new here. And after all, why would a teenage girl choose a restaurant that was clearly for men? A lost tourist maybe? The face and posture expressed exhaustion and maybe more. And when one's exhausted, one's likely to be hungry too, right?
"Tell you what, I'll order you something. You could do with some food; you look so tired. Besides, my shift is almost over and I'm tired too. So I'll get something for both of us!" Shion beamed while the startled girl tried to refuse.
"Wait, you don't have to do that, how can I repay you? Um . . ."
"It's Sonozaki. Sonozaki Shion. And you don't have to repay me. I'm a waitress after all!"
"Ah, thank you," she hesitated, then added, "I'm Kaede." She didn't smile, though something inside her had softened a bit.
A few minutes later, the two teens sat together at the back of the restaurant, forgotten by everyone; at least for the moment.
