Chapter 2: An Explanation
The next day started off just as all the other school days start. My little sister playing the role of my alarm clock, a hastily eaten breakfast, and my long hike up to school. As I was entering the building I noticed Shizriu talking with Asahina-san and I felt the all too familiar feeling of jealousy. But the look on Asahina-san's face was so happy. So precious that I couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty for my selfish desires. I hurried along to my seat and I had a very foreboding sense that Haruhi was going to put us through the wringer with whatever she has planned for today's club activities. As class started I notice that Haruhi is already in her seat and fast asleep. Can you honestly believe that this is the girl who has the ability to recreate the entire universe at a moments notice? Classes today fly by and before you know it, the last bell rings. As everyone in our class take their time packing their things, Haruhi is already out of the door and headed toward the club room.
As I approach the room I am intercepted by Shizriu who looks much more awake today. "If you want, I can give you an explanation and a bit of a demonstration today. But if that is truly what you want then you need to do as I say when I say it." He said, very abruptly almost rudely. I ponder his words for a moment and nod. Better to get this over with quickly so that I can get back to my not so normal life. "Deal" I tell him and then I add, "When are you going to do it? Right now?" Shizriu shakes his head and says, "After Haruhi's little field trip. Just know that I'm expecting you to take me at my word, that you will listen to everything I say." I assured him that he has my full cooperation before we finally head into the club room.
Almost on cue Haruhi notices us walking in at the same time and a sly smile spreads across her face, "Wow Kyon, I didn't think you'd take that much of a liking to our new bodyguard!" I stop, frozen in place. The look of annoyance on my face becomes more pronounced. "Wait a second Haruhi! Just what are you trying to insinuate?" She merely grins and continues on as though I hadn't said anything, "Alright Brigadiers, we have a lead on a supposedly haunted house and we are going to investigate!" Really?... A haunted house? Well... better than trying to wander the city in search of all things mysterious I guess. I turn to look at Nagato who is still reading her book as though she didnt hear Haruhi and ponder what my life would be like if this were the literary club instead.
Asahina-san made to grab her school uniform to changed out of her maid costume when Haruhi interrupted her. "Now now Mikuru! I have an all new cute outfit for you just for this occasion!" Asahina-san's eyes widened with fear as Haruhi took hold of Asahina-san's wrist and pulled her behind a changing curtain. As she was forcing Asahina-san out of her clothes she was talking loudly as Asahina-san was making many noises of distress. "Now the way I heard it this house use to be owned by a filthy rich couple and it is said that the husband was known to cheat on his wife with a woman in a red dress! So the wife killed him and committed suicide. And anyone who enters the house in a red dress can hear the wife yelling at them to get out! Isn't that exciting?" Before I could say anything I heard the startled gasp of Asahina-san who seemed to grasp what Haruhi was doing to her. "Y-you want me t-t-to be b-b-bait? F-f-for a murderous g-gh-ghost?" Haruhi unveiled Asahina-san in a similar fashion to an artist who was showing their prize piece of work at an auction. Asahina-san was wearing a very tight, very provocitive red dress that was up too high on her thighs and which very well displayed her cleavage. I could feel a nose bleed coming on but I held it back. Haruhi responded to Asahina-san with a "Well DUH!" before continuing to say "This is our chance to finally find a ghost!"
Shizriu was staring at Asahina-san and you could see him fighting the urge to tell Haruhi off. It seems Shizriu is another one of those who will do pretty much anything for Haruhi to keep her happy. Asahina-san had obviously seen that Shizriu was looking at her as she started to blush and kept trying in vain to pull the hem of the dress down past her knees. Finally Haruhi signaled that it was time to leave and she lead the way toward the supposed ghost house.
As we arrived it was not hard to see how the rumors that the previous owners were rich as the house was huge. It was a two story monster with Ivy growing up the sides of the walls, though very unkept. The lawn hadn't been trimmed and the over all state of the house seemed to be in disrepair. Haruhi led the way and found a hole big enough for someone to squeeze through to unlock the front door. And by someone I mean me... "And hurry back Kyon! Or there will be a penalty!" Reluctantly I found my way through the dark and dusty house to the front door which was barely locked at all. Looking around the inside as the sunlight poured in from the front door there were two elegant stairways that led up to the second story. The banisters were destroyed though. The inside was fairly empty except for a few pieces of furniture covered over with moving blankets.
We stayed within the house for two hours before Haruhi begrudgingly gave up on the ghost that never showed. Honestly I thought we were never going leave and as we headed back to the club room at school Koizumi pulled me aside. "Kyon, just a word of warning since I heard that you and Shizriu are going to be going out for a demonstration of what he can do. Things can become pretty dangerous. I would suggest not going at all but I doubt you would listen to me. So just be careful." I shot him a quizzical look. "I'll be careful" I told him still fairly confused by his warning. Did that mean that Koizumi knows what Shizriu is? Though that's not so far fetched since Koizumi, Asahina-san, and Nagato all knew what each of the others were.
We all bid our farewells, Haruhi's farewell was fairly dull with her disappointment from the haunted house. And before I knew it I was walking with Shizriu toward a very dodgy part of town. As we walked down a particularly dark alley we heard a scream from a woman who was being held against a wall by a burly bald man. "NOOOOOO" she screamed as he pulled out a knife. "Hey!" Shizriu called out. Oh jeez, I know Koizumi told me that things could be dangerous but I didn't think that Shizriu would just walk up to random thugs to pick fights with them. The bald thug turned slowly and said, "What do you want little boy? You want to play too?" Shizriu cracked his neck nonchalantly. "Well of course, that's why I called out to you, Demon." It was at the word Demon that the thug seemed to freeze. He released his hostage who ran as fast as she could.
"So... the little boy must be an Angel. Well I've got news for you boy. I have enough essence to kill one hundred Angels! So come at me if you dare!" Angels? Demons? This was all too much for me. I was sure that he was a wizard or magician of some sort. The bald thug then seemed to be pulling another knife from his waistband. Though this one was different. It was as if it were made of water. What the heck is going on here? Shizriu took a deep breath and held out his arm with his fingers out streached and his palm facing the ground. It was then that I saw something even more startling. A Scythe materialized in his hand. It was completely black and was probably taller than he was. The thug seemed to falter as Shizriu summoned his weapon. "N-no matter, come at me punk!" The thug screamed, trying to sound threatening. Shizriu obliged but it was as though I had missed everything that happened. He was already right on top of the thug and he had the blade of his scythe at the bald man's throat.
The thug was understandably scared as Shizriu took a moment before finishing the thug off with one final swing of his scythe. But as it happened the man didn't collapse, he didn't spray blood everywhere, he didn't even hit the ground before he completely disappeared. Shizriu turned to me as his scythe also faded away. "So... Now an explanation is in order. But before that I will allow three questions." I swallowed and prodded my brain for anything that I could ask. Then I decided on my three questions. "Well first off, why did he disappear like that?" Shizriu looked at me at and shrugged, "His essence was taken and so there wasn't anything to really leave behind." I must have looked pretty lost as he then went on to say, "I'll explain that after your next two questions." Alright... Well then my next question, "How were you able to move so fast?" Again he shrugged and simply said, "Well I'm not human... Well not truly a human." Another puzzling answer. I'm beginning to wonder why he told me to ask him three questions before his damn explanation. "So then what are you?" At this question he smirked.
"I am an Elemental. I am much more of a rare breed of pure blood Shadow Elemental. You see, the world around you is filled with various different elements that can be controlled. These elements answer to the advanced race of humans known as Elementals. You can look at is as if it were magic I suppose. But in reality its much more akin to how the human interfaces can change and control data. We Elementals can only effect elements though. And only the elements we were born to control. My race absorbs what we call Essence, which is essentially the soul of other Elementals or humans. The more Essence you absorb the stronger you become. That is what causes what we classify as Demons to arise. Those who feed of the Essence of humans to become more powerful. So we have a hunting force known as the Angels who find and destroy the Demons. The more Demons we destroy the more Essence we obtain. The more we have the higher we are ranked in our organization. But the hierarchy isn't important right now. Pretty much when it comes down to it we are protecting the human race from very dark and blood thirsty radicals. The reason we have been keeping an eye on Haruhi Suzumiya is that her powers can and will draw the attention of Demons. If that happens then her life will be in danger and that could inadvertently set off a chain reaction resulting in the destruction of the universe as we know it."
As Shizriu explained his situation to me I caught on "So you were sent to protect her from these Demons then? You must be fairly powerful or just fairly brave to take on a task like that." Shizriu chuckled, "I won't pretend that I'm not very skilled but I won't be pretentious enough to claim that I can handle it all by myself. That's why I have a team of Elementals here in town with me. They patrol the city outside of the gates of the high school while I am the guardian inside of the gates." I nodded as he explained this to me. It was strange to imagine that this is his whole life. Fighting other Elementals who are preying on humans. "So I guess that's why you were so sleepy yesterday." I said. He nodded, "Sometimes it one, sometimes its twenty. There's good days and bad days and I have a hell of a time during the bad days. Now listen. I'm going to give you a word of warning, something you probably have already heard." He paused and waited for my acknowledgment. "Watch yourself now that you have become aware of the presence of Demons. They will most likely hunt you since you are so close to Haruhi Suzumiya." Yeah I've heard this warning before alright... I've now got to be concerned about being attacked by aliens AND Demons. Jeez this is bothersome... Shizriu looked at me intensely and proceeded to say, "This is the end of my explanation for now. I've given you all the information you are going to need to stay safe." He started to walk away from me and as he did he looked back one last time "I trust that you know how to keep out of trouble... right?" The condescending tone of his voice pissed me off. But I held back my retort and instead just nodded as he turned to walk back home.
I also made my way back to my house. I knew that he wasn't trying to be a complete asshole but the way Shizriu talks to people, it can definitely seem like he doesn't care much for what anyone else thinks of him. Surely Asahina-san must see some sort of redeeming quality in him though as her sweet attitude is the complete opposite of Shizriu's personality. As I arrived home I head straight to my room. I didn't feel hungry and I just wanted to rest. I fell face forward onto my bed, still in my uniform and I closed my eyes. I let the events of today slip away from my mind as I drift off into a peaceful sleep, trying to remember that I want to ask Asahina-san what she sees in Shizriu sometime tomorrow.