Chapter #1

The Concern of Yuki Nagato

Yuki: *Turn head towards you* the author does not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

A girl sits, a light novel open in her hands, her face void of any expression or emotion. The small clubroom giving off a somewhat cosy feeling. Her short purple hair blows in the breeze blowing from the open window.
Her eyes wander from the words on the page. She looks out of the window across the schoolyard. Watching the various students coming through the gates.
Suddenly, her head straightens up and she stares straight forward. As if sitting at attention. After a few seconds she nods and mutters.
"I understand."
Easing her position, her glance wanders back to the window once again. Nagato began to wonder what would happen next.

I trudged up the mountain towards North High, by bag slung over my shoulder. I began to contemplate what events may occur today. With Haruhi in charge, anything could happen.
"Well, it's not like my life could be any more hectic," I mumbled.
I heard footsteps coming towards me and I turned around. Taniguchi was just catching up to me.
"Yo Kyon, heard the latest?"
I hadn't yet, and I had to say it intrigued me. "About what?' I asked.
"Apparently a new girls transferring into our class today," why was I not surprised Taniguchi knew about this before anyone else.
But no matter who heard it first; when Haruhi hears about this, who knows what'll happen. I just hope she doesn't treat this girl with the same love and attention she treats Asahina with.

Taniguchi and I continued up to the school. Soon enough we were in homeroom. I'd just sat down and was preparing to begin my morning exchange with Haruhi when-
"Kyon! Did you hear, we're getting and transfer student today."
She was right up in my face; any closer and we'd be kissing.
"Yeah I heard, what's the big deal, we've passed the period where they'd be classified as 'mysterious' by you. Can't someone just be normal for once?"
"Don't you know that any student who changes schools is mysterious? They're bound to have some kind of dark past hidden away in a drawer. And it's up to the SOS Brigade to reveal it."
I informed Haruhi that maybe they didn't want their private life being blabbed all over school, however I don't think she heard me, like always.
After the teacher came in, he explained that the new student wouldn't be arriving until after lunch.
"Now don't you think that's totally weird," Haruhi's voice whispered from behind me. "Why not show up in the morning, why wait until the middle of the day."
"Maybe she's just had some trouble finding the school," I said, but of course this wasn't good enough for the ever-enthusiastic Haruhi.
"No way, maybe they forgot to change their appearance so that no-one recognised them off of the 'Most Wanted' lists on the Internet."
I highly doubt that any of the students at this school read those things, let me rephrase that, any of the normal students, Haruhi's probably got the page favourited and book marked. And if any teacher recognised the kid, I don't really think they'd mention it, probably out of fear.

During lunch I headed to the clubroom. Haruhi had clean up duty. When I arrived I found Nagato there alone. But something was wrong.
She wasn't sitting and quietly reading like usual. Instead she was standing there waiting for me.
"Nagato," I said. "Something wrong?"
"Not yet, however soon maybe," her voice stayed neutral, however I was sure I sensed a discrete tone of worriment.
"Okay… How so?"
"The Data Integration Thought Entity has assigned a new back up unit to my mission," she stated.
"I see," what was she talking about. Suddenly the smiling face of Ryoko Asakura flashed into my head, oh right, suddenly she produced a knife. I quickly stopped visualizing it. "So what's this one like?"
Nagato opened her mouth to answer when the door flew open. Haruhi's smirking face beamed over the room, her expression changed slightly when she saw how close Nagato and I were. But she quickly dismissed it.
"Hey Yuki, we're going to be getting a new member later today, make sure everyone's here for the initiation ceremony.."
"Yes," Nagato nodded, clearly she wouldn't protest.
"Hang on, what do you mean we're getting a new member?" I asked. "And what's this 'initiation' program?"
Haruhi smiled. "Whenever a new student comes to North High it's our job to make sure they're welcomed. And what kind of group the SOS Brigade be without an initiation test?"
I couldn't believe, no sooner would this new girl be introducing herself to our class, than she'd be wisped away by Haruhi into the clubroom, I couldn't believe her sometimes.
Suddenly Haruhi looked around. "Hey, where's Mikuru and Koizumi?" she asked.
"Why do you expect me to know?" I snapped, as I was expected to hold all the answers.
"Asahina came around earlier," Nagato said much to our surprise. "She and Tsuruya are working on an assignment, she can't make it today."
"Oh," said Haruhi. "Well usually absence is punishable, but I suppose since she's got an acceptable excuse, she can get away with it, this time."
The door opened again as Itsuki walked in.
"Asahina-san not here today?"
"She's doing an assignment," said Haruhi disappointedly putting a bag down, no doubt it contained a new cosplay.
The SOS Brigade went about its usual activities. Nagato sat reading. Itsuki and I played Othello while Haruhi sat at the computer doing something or other. It didn't quite feel the same without Miss Asahina around.
After a while Nagato excused herself from the room.
"It's not like you to leave halfway through lunch," said Haruhi as she opened the door. "You sick or something?"
Nagato looked at me subtly. "I have something I need to do," she said simply.
After I was sure it wouldn't seem weird I excused myself. I found Nagato just outside the door.
"Is this about you're new back up?" I asked.
Nagato's nod seemed to hold something more.
"You see, my new back up unit is r-"
Haruhi suddenly grabbed my collar as the bell rang.
"Come on Kyon, we gotta meet to the new student."
I felt like a dog that was caught trying to mark his territory.
But still, 'really?' 'Really what?' Nagato give me a sign or something, what were you going to say?
But it was no use, Nagato had already re-entered the clubroom.

Back in the classroom the teacher told us the new student would be entering soon, and that we were all to make her feel welcome.
The door opened and in walked the girl. Everyone gasped. Long blue hair followed her around.
"Yes this is the new student," announced the teacher. "Previous North High student, Asakura Ryoko-san."
"No way!" Taniguchi yelled out.
Suddenly I realised what Nagato had been trying to tell me, her 'new' back up unit was really, Ryoko Asakura.

Yuki: Next Chapter: 'The Rebirth of Ryoko Asakura;' Read it.