Chapter 12

A/N: Okay, I could make a whole lot of excuses for the over-a-year delay, but all I'm going to say, is that this is the fourth time over the course of the year that I've written this chapter. I would like to reinstate what I have said before.

However long it'll take, I have and always will intend to finish this story. So uh, sorry I'm slow. Hope everyone still remembers what's going on…

Oh and on a side note, I noticed that I tend to use some characters' first names and others' last names, so I'm going to try to stick to just first names now, and if I have the time go back and edit everything. Sorry if it wrecked the story flow, people.

I rushed myself out of the attic, heading in the direction the scream had come from. As though to show me the path a second scream reverberated out of a room at the end of the hallway, and I tightly clutched the chicken… which was beginning to feel really slimy.

Throwing the door open, I was greeted to the sight of one of the girls in my class being cornered by the strange tentacle monster. I stood for a moment, slightly mesmerized by the tentacles moving towards her, clambering for her soft, smooth le-

"KYAA! Don't just stand there, do something! Help me!!"

Oh, right. This was not the time for a wandering mind. I shook my head vigorously and readied my net. Trying to ignore the fact that I looked like a total moron, I charged in, raising the net above my head. Leaping up, I dropped the net on the creature in one fell swoop.

WHACK.

A screech from the tentacle monster echoed out as the net made contact with it. A large tentacle swung out, preparing to lash out at the girl. Without thinking, I had found myself moved in the way, shielding myself with my arms. As I felt the tentacle fall on me, I only barely managed to hold back the surprising weight of the gelatinous arm.

"Run away already, please!" I asked, unable to hide my sarcasm. She didn't answer, instead listening to me without a second thought and screaming out of the room.

Okay big guy, it's just you and me now.

It's tentacle lifted up, getting ready to hit me again. I managed to dive out of the way, and the creature lost its balance as its tentacle hit the floor… At least, I think it lost balance. It doesn't actually have feet so I can only assume…

Anyway, I knew this was where I had to end it. Not just because my body was starting to ache like mad from its tentacle swipe, but also because I wanted to do this while nobody was around to tell the tale. As I gathered the remaining pride I had as a human being, I threw that all out the window as I lifted the chicken up to a battle stance.

"HAAA!!"

Once more I charged. Once more I leapt. Once more I struck the tentacle monster. Once more the striking object was fairly ridiculous. And once more, I heard the echoing pitch of its yell, but this time it was much louder.

I gripped my hands to my ears, grimacing from the discomfort of the volume. As I felt consciousness leaving me, I could only remember the last thing happening to be the tentacle monster slowly melting away, disappearing into nothingness…

Leaving behind a mop, a drumstick, and a bug catching net…

"Kyon! Kyon! Wake up already!" Haruhi complained mercilessly as she shook Kyon's unconscious body. Mikuru waved her arms about worriedly.

"Y-You mustn't do that, Suzumiya-san!" she exclaimed, too afraid to physically stop her.

"It's fine, it's fine!" Haruhi retorted. "This will make him wake up!"

"You seem to be quite worried, Suzumiya-san." Koizumi smirked at her in his usual fashion, and Haruhi's face slightly tinged.

"W-What's that supposed to mean?!" Haruhi stepped back, folding her arms and turning her head away from him. "It's my duty as the brigade commander to worry in these circumstances."

"Ah, of course it is."

"Hmph!"

Yuki, who had actually been in the room with them the whole time, remained quiet, sitting on a chair by Kyon's bed, silently reading a book. After Kyon defeated the tentacle monster, Yuki had sensed the return of normality in the area, and had informed everyone to pick up Kyon. He was found unconscious already, and the teachers had arranged for him to be carried back to his room. Until they could work out what was going on, the teachers had originally given Kyon's homeroom teacher the job of supervising him, but thanks to some strong opposition from Haruhi, the duty was given to the SOS Brigade instead.

"I hope he wakes up soon..."

One other girl had remained in the room too, to the slight dismay of Haruhi. A girl with short, black hair who was about as tall as Yuki.

"And? Isn't it about time you told us exactly how you're related to Kyon?" Haruhi demanded more than questioned, however.

"Ehhh?" the girl replied coyly. "Shouldn't you be explaining to me what that thing was?"

The two eyed each other like combating tigers, eyes slightly twitching.

"Actually, I think everyone here is a bit interested in hearing exactly how you know Kyon." Koizumi stepped in between the two girls, her usual winning smile on his face. "Would you please let us know?"

Mikuru was already watching with an inquisitive look. Even Yuki, though she tried to hide it, had taken her eyes off her book, looking up at them. The girl smiled, grinning cheekily at Haruhi.

"You all want to know what I am to Kyon? Okay… I'll tell you."

She glided over to Kyon's bed, stroking his cheek with her hand. More surprising than Mikuru's yelp or Haruhi's angered face was that Yuki had also completely removed her attention from her book, letting it slide to the floor.

"I'm Kyon's girlfriend!"

And somewhere, in the land of the sleeping, was Kyon, feeling a dangerous shiver run down his back.