Chapter 2
Notes: I have to admit. I really liked writing the waitresses character. ^ ^
It was now evening. The light had all but faded and the snow started to fall profusely. Yet, she hardly noticed so caught up was she in her own thoughts.
'What if they find me?' she asked anxiously.
'No, I can't go back! I just can't!' she cried inwardly. 'But you have no place to go,' warned her conscience. 'I'll run! I'll run so they'll never find me,' she reasoned. '…and then what?' prodded her conscience. "Oh!" she moaned as she grabbed her head trying to shake the tormenting thoughts from her already fragile mind then suddenly stopped for fear of drawing unwanted attention.
["She's crazy! She believes she's from another time!" mocked a young girl as the memory flitted across her mind.]
"I am not crazy!" she responded out loud.
Unfortunately, a fellow passing by overheard the distraught girl and furrowed his brow in puzzlement as he stared at her dubiously.
They locked eyes briefly as they passed each other. Ashamed and embarrassed, she looked away and continued on.
She had all but forgotten her days at the orphanage; she recalled. 'Maybe she could go there for the night?' she pondered.
"No!" resounded her conscience. She could never again allow herself to be abused by that lady who called herself Ryoko. She was stern and unscrupulous; a capricious woman who used innocent children for her own personal gain. To the outside world, she was a caring and merciful heroin who owned a respectable establishment which was really no more than a brothel full of child and teenaged laborers.
She shuddered.
"No." She resolved. She could never return there.
So then, where could she go?
'They did say they would not hurt her.' She tried to reason…and, though she didn't remember much, she was sure they never tried to abuse her like lady Ryoko. 'Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to return to them,' she tried to convince herself. After all, they did save her from that horrible orphanage.
Still, she just couldn't shake the thought that it would be a bad mistake so she continued on through the chilling flurry of ice.
As night fell, the city became ablaze with bright colors, flashing lights, music and all manner of activities where young people gathered at the entryways of bars, clubs and cafés. Strange fashions were displayed prominently in windows and little gadgets, of which she had never seen, were being sold aggressively by crafty merchants. The smoke from vehicles spread like a blanket over the city as they sped to and fro and she could feel the frenzy which seemed to accompany it all.
Nearly frozen, she began to shiver uncontrollably as she felt the temperature drop. Quickly becoming frantic at the lights, hustle and bustle of the streets, she turned aside into a small but cozy diner.
"Good evening, welcome to the Sakura Tea House," chimed a plain but jovial waitress. "Would you like to be seated, yes?" she asked with a wide smile.
"Ugh, yes please," shyly whispered the young woman.
Just then, she looked the young woman up and down, noticing how thin and extremely underdressed she was.
"Poor thing, you are shaking like a leaf." cooed the waitress. I know just the thing for you. Come!" she instructed giddily.
The young girl followed close behind, glancing warily around the place for any suspicious characters.
"Sit here," she motioned, "…and I bring you some tea." She said, smiling cheerfully then scurried off.
The girl nodded slightly as she sat down in the dark, inconspicuous corner.
For a moment, she stared down at her hands nervously wringing them back and forth as she waited for the waitress to return.
There was a loud clang and immediately she looked up at the front entrance, eyes wide with fear.
With a sigh of relief, she nestled back into her seat as she watched two newcomers, elderly gentlemen in business suits, take off their coats and shake out their scarves. Apparently relieved to be out of the wind and snow, they stood there quietly waiting to be seated.
The young girl noted the peace and quiet of the diner versus the chaos and noise without. She smiled contently and closed her eyes to just enjoy this brief but much needed period of rest.
"Rin!" she heard a voice whisper. Again, a pair of golden eyes flashed before her causing her to sit up and look around anxiously.
Frustrated, she sighed deeply.
'Who was this Rin and what did they have to do with her?' she wondered. 'Was it the name of the face with the golden eyes? Was it someone she knew, a family member perhaps?'
She had no answers as she again leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes to rest.
["Human, you hold the fate of my blood and the memory of my house," spoke a most beautiful woman with hair like the snow and eyes like fire. The girl felt her heart quicken as the woman leaned in closer, holding up sharp claws.
"I have implored the gods for you that the offspring of my beloved may not perish." She croaked, coughing as she did so. "With great sacrifice have I borne this life…'' she wheezed. "Banished from the divine counsel for love of a lowly youkai then driving the same into the arms of a ninjen…" She choked as she coughed up a glob of blood. "…I have much to pay for…" She faltered then suddenly gazed poignantly into the girl's big brown eyes. "But my son is innocent!" she said solemnly as she weakly raised her other arm which was wounded terribly.
In it she held a necklace – one with a purple stone in its center which glimmered brilliantly.
"You must survive!" she stressed. "My son is the only thing I have left of my beloved and now…" She paused, wheezing heavily as she began to fade in and out. "You are the only thing left of my son."]
"You must survive…must survive…survive!" she heard the voice echo as she awoke with a jolt at the sound of the waitress calmly trying to rouse her.
"I can tell you have good dream," the waitress remarked smiling as she set a bowl of soup and a cup for tea on the table.
The girl sat up lowering her eyes sheepishly, which were glossed over from sleep and weariness.
"Yeah, sorry," she murmured thinking what could be more far from the truth for it held more questions than answers.
"Maybe, it lead you to the right place." She commented as she poured tea into the cup.
The girl looked at the delicious soup longingly as she felt her stomach rumble.
"Go on!" the waitress prompted but the girl just sat there hesitant to help herself.
"No worry, you pay next time, right?" She said with a wink as she softly tapped the girl on her shoulder.
She needed no more permission as she eagerly began to consume the hot mixture.
"My name is Kiala if more you want. Enjoy!" stated the waitress as she turned to leave.
The girl looked up briefly from the bowl of soup.
"Thank you!" she garbled with a mouthful of noodles.
"You are welcome," beamed the waitress as she scuttled off.