As we walked there, Koizumi, Asahina and I had made small talk- never mentioning the subject that we were to discuss, except for the fact that we were to meet someone there. This statement was confusing- who, other than the four of us, knew about Haruhi's Godlike capabilities? And then another thought- if there was already an Esper, an alien and a time traveller around Haruhi, exactly what was this being? None of these thoughts were particularly comforting, so I decided to ignore them until we reached the cafe.

I saw him as soon as we entered the cafe, and right away I knew that he was the one we were going to meet. He was the only "bizarre" looking person in the place- where everyone else was wearing casual clothes, he was dressed in a long, blue coat and hat to match. The uniform of a high school student in the 80s, I think. Although he was dressed like a student, he sure didn't look it- he was way more muscular than Koizumi and I put together, and seemed taller, too. A giant, maybe? Nah, he's too small, I thought. Small in a giant sense, that is.

He nodded a brief "hello" to us as we sat down, and we returned it. All of us except Nagato, that is. We ordered drinks, then got down to business.

"Kyon." Koizumi said, still smiling. The guy was perpetually happy. "This is Jotaro Kujo. I think we can consider him a "client" of the SOS Brigade."

"Give me a break. That sounds like kid's stuff. I didn't come here to play games, Koizumi. I'm here to talk about that Suzumiya girl, that "God" you told me about." Kujo said, rolling his eyes. The man had an aura of arrogance about him...or was it just annoyance? I didn't know.

"Of course, of course. I apologise." Koizumi replied. Jotaro nodded, before picking up a beer can I had just noticed in front of him. With a fountain pen, he plunged a hole into the bottom of it, and began drinking. Miss Asahina, who had been growing more and more nervous beside me, let out a small whimper at the sight of this. I was thankful when our drinks came a second later.

"So then, shall I start the meeting?" Koizumi said. There were nods of approval from Asahina and me, and nothing from Kujo and Nagato.

"I'll start by addressing you, Kyon. Have you been realising that recently, things have happened that you don't feel are quite...right?"

"You've lost me right away." I admitted.

"Well," he started again. "Have you noticed the arrivals of many, many new people around school, for example? Izumi for one?"

I thought for a moment. Sure, I had forgotten the names of Sakaki, Ayumu and the others this morning, but I had remembered them eventually. The same with the purple-haired girls, the Hiiragis, I now recalled. I looked at Koizumi, puzzled, and he sighed. Kujo was staring into the distance. He struck me as the perceptive type.

"Do you remember Tomo Takino?" Koizumi continued. "This year's Sports Fest? The one who took off running at the start and led the race for the first 800 metres, then fell right to the back?"

"Well, yeah, I..." Then I froze. Sports Fest? I knew it existed but...had I ever participated in one? I had to have...why couldn't I remember? These were the thoughts that echoed in my brain. I couldn't find an answer for one of them.

"Just as I thought." Koizumi said, holding his hands out in a "thought so" pose. "Then, Nagato, it is just as we feared.

"Confirmed." Nagato said, stoically.

"Wh...what's going on?" I exclaimed. "Why can't I remember anything from before today?"

In my mind, I knew the answer. And (Creepily, I might add) Koizumi knew that I knew. He laughed, softly, then said the words.

"Haruhi Suzumiya."

There was silence for a moment as we sipped our drinks. Then, he began to explain. I noticed Kujo listening in- clearly he was waiting for this moment. It made me wonder why Koizumi had gone to the bother of setting the whole thing up.

"The universe we're in now...well, I suppose it would be fair to say that this isn't our original universe."

"Our?" I was perplexed. "So everyone's been abducted somehow?"

"You're close. Do you know of the many-worlds theory? Essentially, every action we take sets us on a timeline. The timeline that you know as being "life" is basically just built up of you taking actions, and making decisions. You understand?"

"Well, if you reduce it to that, then yeah, I understand." I said. Kujo nodded, too.

"Well, have you ever thought of the what-ifs? Say you're split between buying chocolate cake and lemon cake at a cafe. You go for the chocolate cake, and all afterwards you know "I bought the chocolate cake, not the lemon cake". However, when you made that decision, your timeline cut into two, one where you bought chocolate, and one where you bought lemon. And thus, two worlds, or universes, were created- one world with lemony Kyon, and one with chocolatey Kyon."

"So I do both things, regardless of what I choose?" I replied. I was a little confused.

"Basically, yeah. Only you create two different universes, you don't do both things in one universe. Unless you're greedy, that is." Koizumi chuckled. Kujo wasn't amused

"Give me a break. When're you gonna get to the point, Koizumi?" He said, rolling his eyes.

"Soon, soon. I promise the lecture won't take much longer." Koizumi chuckled. "So then, this means that there must be an infinite number of worlds, judging by the amount of decisions a person takes, the amount of people that exist, and so on and so forth."

"Okay." I replied. Kujo seemed satisfied with this explanation. He was intimidating.

"Now, getting to the point. Haruhi seems to have made the universes...clash. So, say you exist in one universe, but not in another. I don't know...let's say in one universe, you weren't born, you don't exist. Instead, the Hiiragis and Izumi exist."

"Wait, wait." I interrupted. "So the Hiiragis, and Izumi...they're from a different universe?"

"A different universe to you, yes." Koizumi replied. "It seems that Haruhi has managed to fuse all of these different universes together, and now here we are. If you can't remember very far back, it must mean that the universe isn't very well formed yet."

"Hold on a minute." Kujo said. He was leaning on his elbow as if to say "no way is this right". "Even with the Godlike powers that you say she has, Koizumi, there's no way a schoolgirl could summon up enough power to create a whole new universe, especially if she's doing it unawares."

"Well, you're right." Koizumi replied. "Which is why we're afraid that there are other forces at work. Miss Asahina, wasn't it you that first realised this?"

"Y...yes." Asahina said. Her voice was quiet and shy. I thought she sounded ashamed, also. "It was at a point not too long ago...I discovered I could no longer return to the future. There's a time in the future that seems to be...blocking me. There's a strong force...it seems supernatural...and I can't get any further into the future..."

Miss Asahina, at this point, became overcome with emotion and shame, so I put my arm on her shoulder to comfort her. Kujo raised an eyebrow at the sight of this, but did nothing else.

"Nagato also says that she detected a massive burst of energy, similar to the signal Haruhi gives out. This was earlier today, right Yuki?" Koizumi continued.

"Yes. At 9.00 am, this universe came into existence. Two similarly sized energy quakes detected- those of Haruhi Suzumiya and Kasuga Ayumu." Nagato explained in her usual, lifeless voice.

"Wh...whoa, wait, Ayumu's like Haruhi? Like a...God?" I gasped. I could only begin to comprehend what might happen if two God-like beings, with the power to control reality both unleashed their abilities. I had temporarily forgotten my amazement at the universe only having existed for a matter of hours.

"Not exactly. Although Haruhi may be God, and she may have created this universe by fusing others together...Ayumu is something different. She-"

"Wait a minute. Before you go on..."

Everyone turned to Kujo, the one who had interrupted Koizumi.

"You all go on about the universe being only this old, and you all act as though you know nothing about the universes you used to be in..." Kujo began. "But in which case, why do both her-" (Indicating Nagato) "and me remember that this is a new universe?"

Koizumi couldn't answer this. Everyone sat in thought for a moment, then Nagato spoke.

"I sense another data mass within you. A second you. That is the anchor holding you to your original universe." She said. Kujo took a moment, then nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. So whereas everyone else is a clone of themselves from a former universe, I'm the original me, right?" He said. Nagato nodded.

"That would make sense." Koizumi smiled, then addressed us all. "Nagato is somewhat similar. Because she's an alien entity made completely of data...the Nagato you see before you here is the one that exists in every universe with a Nagato in it. That's why she knows who she is."

"R...right." I understood now. So, linking together Ayumu being like Haruhi and Miss Asahina being unable to return to the future...I had a very bad feeling about the situation.

"And I should probably explain about Kujo here...he carries within him a strong spiritual presence that he calls a "Stand". I think it's pretty much a guardian spirit, right?" Koizumi said, interrupting my train of thought as usual. Kujo nodded. "And we've concluded that the Stand is composed of similar energy to Nagato. Whether that means the Integrated Data Entity that created Nagato is responsible for Kujo's Stand...I don't know. Nonetheless, it makes Jotaro here a valuable ally."

Everyone sort of nodded in Kujo's direction, then went back to drinking. We ordered seconds, even though the meeting was practically over. Unfortunately, this gave me time to get back to my earlier stream of thought, bringing up the same feeling of dread I had earlier.

"M...Miss Asahina," I began. Everyone turned to face me. "Remember what you told me about...about 3 years ago? About you not being able to travel that far back in time?"

"Yes, I remember." Asahina replied.

"It was because of Suzumiya, wasn't it? Didn't Suzumiya close the door to the past?"

"Yes, she did, but...if we're to take Nagato's word and we really are in a different universe, then will it still be closed?"

Asahina paused to think, giving Koizumi enough time to interject.

"Well, I can explain this one. The universe hasn't developed that far yet. Last year has barely been constructed, let alone three years ago. So I'm guessing you couldn't go back, either way..."

"Oh. There goes my theory. I figured Ayumu had closed the path to the future, just as Suzumiya closed the path to the past." I said, prompting everyone into silence again. Surprisingly, Kujo was the one to break it.

"No, wait...your theory may still hold some water, Kyon." He said, gazing across the restaurant. "Asahina, how far forward can you travel in time? Without getting blocked, I mean."

"W...well..." Miss Asahina seemed intimidated. "Next week, there's a concert. The light music club are performing, and I can't go any further than...wait..."

"It seems you've realised it." Kujo said, turning his attention to the table. "Where's the logic in that? Why would the universe only start developing a past, and not a future? If we're taking into account that Asahina here is a time traveller and comes from the future, then she shouldn't be here, if the future hasn't been created in this universe yet."

"You're...you're right." Koizumi said. He seemed surprised. "N...Nagato, how much of the past has been constructed?"

Nagato continued to blankly stare forward, before answering.

"Construction of the past came to a halt at January this year. Construction of the future came to a halt on the 21st of this month."

I could see Asahina growing nervous.

"A...Asahina...what was the date of the end-of-school concert?" I asked. Deep in my mind, I already knew the answer.

"T....the 21st..." She replied, confirming everyone's fears.

"There has to be a reason for both the past and the future being locked like this." Koizumi said. "Suzumiya has no idea that she has these Godlike powers, yet something like this is so ordered...I think we can suspect Ayumu of being the one who closed the doors to the past and future."

Everyone nodded. After all, why would Haruhi want to close off the past in a new universe?

"One final thing. Nagato brought my attention to the new planet, discovered by the Astronomy Club. Does this sound weird to anyone?" Koizumi asked.

"Well, of course." I replied. "How could a high-school astronomy club be the first to discover a planet twice the size of Jupiter?"

"That's right. How is that possible, when there are hundreds of astronomers that could have found it first, no, that WOULD have found it first?"

I nodded, as did Kujo. Asahina was staring at Koizumi in shock.

"The conclusion I reached, and that Nagato backed up, is this- the only things in this universe that exist are this town, and that planet. We may know of Japan, other countries and even other planets, but they don't physically exist. Otherwise, the planet would have been discovered before."

"So, what does this all mean?" I asked.

"Well, it means that someone other than Haruhi had plans for this universe. Another "God"."

"Ayumu..." Kujo murmured.

"That's right." Koizumi smiled. "This universe, therefore, was born out of the wills of Haruhi Suzumiya and Kasuga Ayumu. And if all Haruhi wanted was to combine interesting individuals from other universes to her own, then obviously Ayumu had further plans. She must have wanted us to realise the existence of this planet. She must also have wanted to block off the doors to the future and past."

Everyone stared at Koizumi in shock.

"Nagato, tell everyone here what you told me. About the planet's name, and its inhabitants."

"Full data bank was not accessible." She said. "The name of the planet is Yuggoth. It hosts an ecosystem far beyond human understanding, and is home to beings that defy human perception. I cannot describe them in a method everyone here would understand."

"S...so, Ayumu is...?" I stuttered. Koizumi nodded.

"From Yuggoth? Yeah, I think that's the best assumption we can come up with right now. Only Yuggoth must be from another universe, so...we can't really be sure that Ayumu's an alien as such...maybe she just has a strong connection with the planet. Nonetheless." Koizumi summed up, "There's a grey area over her intentions. We can't decide whether they're good or bad...I'm afraid we just have to wait until the end-of-school concert."

After this, we finished our drinks in silence, thinking about everything we'd discussed. Afterwards, we paid the bill (And I realised afterwards that I'd paid most of it) and left, Kujo going one way and Nagato and Asahina another. This left me with Koizumi, and we made small talk, not mentioning much of what we'd discussed. To be honest, I was still trying to get my head around it.