Welcome to the second instalment of this second filler! Sorry that it's later than I planned…I did say I would update on Wednesday- I just didn't anticipate so much coming up - illness, tests, losing memory sticks. Sorry!
Well, Haruhi is lost and the Host Club are on a mission to find her! Thank you especially to Andy_C – your reviews are wonderfully appreciated and encouraging as usual!
Have fun and happy reading!
Chapter 14- We're off to find the... what now?
Flashback…
Haruhi felt herself fall away from Kyoya's outstretched arm, her fingers brushing past his hand fruitlessly trying to find a hold. She saw his mouth set in a hard line, the only emotion blazing quickly in his eyes as their gazes met for a brief moment
"It wasn't enough. Haruhi's gone!"
"Why didn't I catch her…?"
---
(With Haruhi- somewhere in the Vietnamese Jungle)
"My head…" Haruhi moaned as she felt said part of her body throbbing intensely. "What happened?" Eyes fluttering open, she looked around, trying to get her bearings. Where am I? What's going on- why is it so dark?
Blurry figures surrounded her on all sides, solidifying into the forms of ten or more strangers she had never seen in her life. They were all of average height and build, with dark hair and skin. Haruhi blinked and rubbed her eyes. They were also covered in something…mud?
"Who…what…how?" she managed, trying to sit up and look around at the strangers surrounding her.
She was lying on a bed roughly made of wood with a woolly blanket thrown over it. The bed was situated in the middle of a wooden hut, with large timbers making up the walls and thatched roof overhead with leaves entwined in it. It was quite dark with embers glowing in a small fire encircled with round stones against one wall where a chimney had been built into the roof.
One man stepped forward. He had two white stripes separating the mud pasted onto his face and wore a golden coat over his broad frame. He must be the Chief…they're going to eat me! Haruhi thought helplessly.
"I am Chief Shonen and I am leader of the Shonenian Tribe. You are in our village. You came down to us out of the sky," the man intoned ceremoniously, indicating Haruhi's fall with a grand sweep of a bronzed arm.
Hushed muttering broke out amongst the strangers as they stared with interest at Haruhi.
That's right…I fell off that cliff thing. Miraculously I'm unhurt… The Host Club! Where are they? What am I going to do? What if…
"You flew down to us- therefore…" the man continued, "you must be a sky goddess!"
This snapped Haruhi's attention back to Earth with a bump. "Sky goddess?" she repeated, amazed. These people thought she was a goddess?
The man took this as a confirmation instead of a question. "You arrived through our roof earlier this day," the man pointed to the wooden ceiling. Haruhi's gaze followed his arm towards the roof and saw there was indeed a sizeable hole through which resembled a Haruhi falling shape.
"About that…" Haruhi said delicately. "It was an accident…I had no idea I was going to come through your roof." How am I going to make up for this? I have no money to pay for it…and by the looks of things what can they do with my money? Oh dear…
Chief Shonen held up his hand for silence. "The goddess…" here he paused looking at Haruhi, waiting for a name to be supplied.
"…Haruhi…?" Haruhi said hesitantly. So they really did believe that she was a goddess! Is this a good idea leading them on like this? What if they find out I'm not? Will they punish me? Sacrifice! Oh no! I should probably just go along with it for now…until the Host Club get here.
"The goddess Haruhi has blessed us with her presence here," Chief Shonen said importantly, addressing the other people around the bed. "It has long been passed down that a sky goddess would come down from the heavens to live amongst our people here. That's what has been written on 'The Wall'-is it not? We must welcome her fittingly for visiting our humble village."
"It was written on the wall? What does that mean?" Haruhi said, more to herself.
"In celebration we shall have a wedding!" announced Shonen, not hearing Haruhi.
The present members of the Shonenian tribe cheered enthusiastically
Haruhi blinked. "A wedding? How nice, who's getting married?" she ventured weakly.
Chief Shonen looked at her. "It would be an honour, my goddess, if you would marry one of my twenty sons."
Haruhi stared at the man, dumb struck. Now he wants me to get married…to one of his sons! What is this madness? I'm too young to marry-and I don't want to marry someone I've never met before! This is really getting out of hand!
"Now that's very kind of you…but totally unnecessary," Haruhi explained hastily.
"The wedding shall be the highlight of this cycle!" The Chief declared. "Let the preparations begin!" he clapped his hands authoritatively, dismissing Haruhi's protests.
The Shonenian tribe bowed low to their leader and left the hut quickly, their excitement tangible as they began the arrangements for the highly anticipated wedding. One woman remained behind and motioned for Haruhi to get up and follow her. Sliding her legs off the bed, Haruhi hobbled after her, her legs stiff and cramped. Why do I get no say in this?! Of course nobody mind me, I don't get a say in my 'husband' – what kind of place is this? Surely in this world I have the right to chose who I want to marry! Haruhi's mind rebelled against the Chief's plan.
The woman held open the hut door and allowed Haruhi out first. Stepping carefully out over the threshold and thankful she didn't have to duck to avoid the doorframe as the woman behind her did, Haruhi gasped in amazement at the sight before her.
A vast patch of jungle undergrowth had been cleared, leaving the enormous tree trunks looming all around the village. Here and there, dotted around the trees, wooden huts had been built, nestled in the moss. Down in the valley, the jungle was warm and steamy, fuzzy sunlight sluggishly seeping through the canopy high above, occasionally providing a patch of blue sky between the green.
"It's so beautiful…" Haruhi gazed around, feeling the need to whisper as though she were in a holy or sacred place. The heavy air gave the village an almost otherworldly atmosphere.
"Come, you will need to get ready," the woman prompted, walking barefoot across the mossy ground towards another, slightly larger hut. She beckoned to Haruhi, "Please follow me Sky Goddess Haruhi."
Hurry up and come and get me! Haruhi thought desperately as she trailed after the tribeswoman. Don't let me get married off to some random jungle guy!
(With the Host Club)
Kyoya had long since given up fiddling with the radio. Long since tried even turning it on. Every time he did, another ridiculous love song would start, increasing his frustration and remorse tenfold.
Where is that damn, good-for-nothing pilot? Kyoya took a deep breath. Getting frustrated will solve nothing. Must think of logical solutions.
But what if no-one comes to help? The tiny thought nagged at him from the back of his brain. I will not allow Haruhi to be left here.
What were his remaining options? His emergency phone…
Digging into one of his pockets, Kyoya withdrew a small phone a flipped it open. Each Ootori was supplied with an emergency phone all connected back to one receptor in the main Ootori Mansion. Receiving this signal meant that the sender was in danger and required assistance immediately-wherever they were in the world.
The mobile only had one button, a large red on in the centre of the keypad. Thumbing it impatiently, Kyoya waited for a reply "Signal strength is very weak- Message cannot be sent," flashed up on the screen in large letters.
Refraining from swearing, Kyoya threw the phone to the floor, taking small pleasure it hearing the 'crack' on the metal decking. Stupid thing! He raked a hand through his hair, thinking. There's got to be a way, there can't not be one…Why am I so distracted? Maybe it was due to the fact that every time he closed his eyes, the same person flicked up behind them-the same shocked, feminine face.
Why the hell won't that damn pilot get OUT of the luggage compartment and come fix this radio? It's all his fault anyway…when I get my hands on him…Kyoya delighted in running through all the "legal" yet torturous things he could inflict on the pilot.
Standing up and stretching his arms he pushed back the curtain separating the cock-pit from the cabin and walked towards the other hosts.
Hikaru and Kaoru were slumped in their seats, Kaoru's head resting on Hikaru's lap as Hikaru stared gloomily out of the window. Honey had forgotten about his search for exotic animals and Mori did not have the heart to pick up his Ray Mears book.
Tamaki glanced up as Kyoya entered, a despondent look in his eyes, though his schooled face belied nothing. Tamaki felt as though it was time to act. "Come on," he said, standing up.
"Where are we going?" Kaoru asked, propping himself up on one elbow.
"To find Haruhi of course!" Tamaki announced as though it were obvious, "The sooner the better too."
"But Tono we saw-"
"We're going now. Haruhi is probably sitting at the bottom of that hill, very worried and wondering why we aren't coming to find her. It shall be a race- first to find my-precious-daughter-apple-of-my-eye-beauty-to-the-beholder Haruhi wins!" Tamaki affirmed.
"We shall win!" Honey bounced up from his melancholy state.
"No way- we're getting to her first!" Hikaru disagreed- Kaoru smiling at his twins' improved state-of-mind.
"Let's go," was all Kyoya said, though inside he vowed to be the first. He owed it to Haruhi.
"We're off to find the daughter! The wonderful daughter of Tamaki!" Tamaki sang, leading the hosts out of the jet.
" 'the wonderful wizard of Oz'," Mori corrected simply.
Tamaki stared at him in amazement.
"It's one of Takashi's favourites," Honey explained helpfully.
The Host Club left the jet – enlightened.
Haruhi could not help but fidget. In a dress made mainly of white silk spun from caterpillars, decorated with leaves and flowers a saint could not have helped but fidget uncomfortably.
"So this is to be my wedding dress? I didn't think it would be so…green," Haruhi muttered to herself. I also didn't picture myself in a jungle, with my groom being a random guy…
"You look very beautiful goddess Haruhi," the tribal women trilled, stringing flowers in Haruhi's hair.
Mizuzu Sonoda couldn't have dressed me up any worse than this… Haruhi stared at the floor. "Do you think I can refuse this?"
The woman looked affronted. "Goddess Haruhi- we have welcomed you into our village- and you wish to offend us by refusing to marry the son of the chief? He is a very strong and good looking man- you are fortunate to receive such a husband!"
Haruhi sighed. Damn.
"He's the most sought after by the women around these parts," the woman continued. "There will be many jealous girls at your wedding! And food too- we know how to throw parties in the jungle after all."
Haruhi fiddled with the sleeve of her dress. If the Host Club doesn't hurry up and get me out of here I'll not be held accountable for my actions! And you will be in one sticky situation.
"Come Goddess Haruhi- everything is ready outside," the woman prompted- walking towards the hut door. "Your wedding is soon to begin."
Haruhi felt her legs slowly leading her towards the door, though her mind futilely tried to stop them. The woman opened the door and Haruhi ducked out back into the jungle.
"So you are Goddess Haruhi?" A young man, who had been waiting outside the hut, asked.
I don't want to marry some random guy; I don't want to marry some random guy… Haruhi nodded meekly, her train of thought still very much preoccupied with something else.
"Well then, it seems that we are soon to be man and wife," he bowed to her, bending slightly to take her hand and kiss it. He was at least twice her height, rivalling even Mori. "My name is Kyn."
I don't want to marry…some buff random jungle guy? Haruhi looked up at the tall man standing before her. Garbed only up to the waist in white silky trousers, showing his chiselled abdominal muscles, Haruhi couldn't help but gulp. He had long glossy black hair that fell to his brown, broad shoulders, dark, smouldering eyes and a simple golden pendant hanging around his neck.
Haruhi gulped again Maybe…he's not too bad…for a random jungle guy…
"I must leave you now, but I wanted to catch a glimpse of my new bride," Kyn apologised. "You are as beautiful- if not more than the rumours say. I will see you at the ceremony." He bowed again and then departed, his bare feet making no sound on the soft mossy floor.
If they don't arrive any time soon…I might just get married off to this buff random jungle guy. Would I mind? Haruhi envisioned her new 'husband-to-be" standing before her again. I could get used to it…
---
(With the Host Club)
"Look Tono- there is no one down there!" Hikaru said exasperatedly as the Host Club continued to pace around the site where Haruhi had fallen. "We would have heard her by now."
"We are not giving up!" Tamaki declared.
Kyoya glanced at him sharply. He's expressing my concern for me… Kyoya realised.
"Haru-chan?" Honey asked, lifting up a small rock on the ground.
The small senior looked up at his cousin. Without needing words to understand, Mori raised a boulder with little difficulty, allowing Honey to peer underneath it.
"No Haru-chan…" Honey sniffed.
"Why don't we check the base of the cliff?" Kaoru suggested.
"Follow her down there?" Hikaru questioned his twin.
He glanced down the cliff. It was not as high as they had previously feared, in fact it was just a muddy, semi-steep incline, which sloped down towards the valley floor about ten metres below. Littered with decaying leaves and small bits of vegetation, a fall would not have necessarily killed a person. Unless of course, there had been an accident at the bottom.
Kaoru nodded. "Yeah, let's slide down and check the valley down there. We're sure to find something down there at least,"
Tamaki stroked his chin. "Mori-senpai – you go first, to check if there's any danger and all," he ordered.
Mori nodded and with a graceful leap, disappeared down the hill.
"Have you reached the bottom?" Tamaki called after him.
A few tense moments later and they heard the resonant 'Ah' affirming that Mori had safely reached the bottom.
"Are there any snakes?" Tamaki asked. "Or lizards, dragons, dinosaurs, flesh eating monsters…" he ticked his list off on his fingers.
"No," Mori said back, without needing to shout.
"…crabs, lions, guinea-pigs, worms…" Tamaki continued. "Oh good. Right then- Hikaru and Kaoru you two next," Tamaki smiled.
Hikaru looked over the edge and shook his head. "No way- there's no way that I'm going down there like that- I could break my neck!"
"But Mori-senpai will catch you," Tamaki protested.
"No way, I'm not doing it," Hikaru refused. "It's all muddy too,"
Before anyone else could say anything Kyoya had slipped off the edge of the hill, following Mori and slithering carefully to the bottom. Hikaru exchanged a glance with Tamaki, who shrugged.
"Now you have two people to catch you," Kaoru pointed out.
"I bet Kyoya would let me fall," Hikaru grumbled. "Hey-!"
Kaoru had taken hold of his reluctant twin's hand and jumped, pulling an unfortunate, unwilling and unhappy Hikaru Hitachiin behind him.
Tamaki glanced at Honey. "You next Honey-senpai," he said kindly.
"Yay!" Honey said, jumping into the air, legs tucked up to his chest as he dropped down like a cannon, landing lightly as any professional martial artist would, knees bent and crouched close to the ground, arms out for balance. He held the position for a moment before standing upright again.
Tamaki stood at the top of the cliff. "Next," he called. When nobody answered, he turned around and saw that he was indeed the last of the Host Club standing on top of the cliff.
"I'm the last? Well, they do say save the best to last," he said to himself, walking towards the edge. "And of course the Host Club King has to make a good impression," he flicked back his hair, imagining the ecstatic cheering of his fan girls. "Now, now ladies," he grinned, preparing to slide down.
However, instead of the elegant slide he had envisioned, he caught his foot on a small rock. Slithering on his front down the small hill, he landed in a crumpled heap at Kyoya's feet.
"Why didn't anyone catch me?" he objected, getting to his feet and dusting himself down.
"You were taking so long up there we thought you were planning on staying there," Hikaru smirked. "Not talking to yourself huh?"
"Get up Tama-chan – look we've found a village- in the trees there!" Honey said excitedly, pointing through the trees.
Tamaki shot to his feet in an instant. "Come along! Maybe they have seen our fair daughter!"
"I advise caution Tamaki-kun," Mori said. He held up his Ray Mears book at the section concerning meeting new people
"Tch, what could go wrong? It's not like they've taken our darling Haruhi to be some beautiful angel and are forcing her into some arranged marriage to one of the tribe is it?" Tamaki brightly waved away Mori's concern. "We'll just ask them if they've seen Haruhi and then be off. If they have got her, it's an added bonus!"
Kyoya nodded tightly. "Let's get on with it then," he said.
Tamaki glanced at Kyoya and then strode to the head of the line. "Alright Host Club- we're off to see the jungle tribe!"
"Isn't it the-"
"It's okay Honey-senpai, Tono knows what the real words are," Hikaru whispered to the confused senior.
Honey nodded wisely, sharing the joke with the Hitachiin before climbing up his cousin's leg and perching himself on top of his shoulder. From this vantage point he was sure to spot an elephant.
"What's that noise?" Kaoru asked suddenly as the Host Club approached the village.
The young men all paused, alert and listening to whatever Kaoru had picked out.
"Is it…drums?" Hikaru hazarded, glancing at Kaoru.
It was, in fact, the sound of drums. The irresistible rhythm percolated through the trees, echoing around the valley as the tempo increased.
Mori tapped his foot to the beat.
"It's the tribe!" Tamaki decided. "Is it a signal to us?"
"Tono- they don't even know we're here," Kaoru assured him. "Look- there they are- through the trees, in that clearing!"
Crouching down in the undergrowth, the Host Club studied the figures dancing in the open expanse of jungle. Decorated in their finest clothes, the villagers were busy preparing something, baskets of food were being laid down on great palm leaves and a pipe had joined the drums' beat.
"What do you think they're doing?" Tamaki wondered.
"Party in the jungle!" Honey said with glee. "Maybe they have cake!"
"Excuse me but who are you?" a voice asked imperiously from behind the Host Club- eliciting surprised and shocked reactions from the off guard young men.
Tamaki clutch his heart, "Did you mean to give me a heart-attack?" he demanded.
Hikaru chuckled, "I loved that hat,"
Kaoru grinned, "Those colours are simply amazing,"
They both collapsed to the floor laughing as the tribal man looked rather upset at the fact that his hat had been insulted. Only to be worn on a ceremonial occasion, it has peacock feathers stuffed into it, along with a couple of multi-coloured parrot feathers mingling with the green peacock. Decorated with ornamental rocks and painted ochre it looked…a sight.
"Are you a tribal man?" Honey asked, not in the least bit frightened.
The man nodded, clutching his hat.
"Have you seen an elephant around here, because I've been looking for one and I really want to see one, but I can't seem to find one anywhere…" Honey trailed off, batting his eyes at the tribal man, who seemed rather taken aback at the cute little senior standing before him.
"An elephant? We're in the Vietnamese jungle," the tribal man stuttered.
"So no elephant?"
The tribal man was at a loss to try and console the upset young boy, his fearsome demeanour diminishing. "I'm sorry…" he tried, hesitantly bending down to pat Honey on the shoulder. One glance from Mori informed him that it would not be a wise move.
"How about…you come and join us? In our party?" the man offered helplessly as Honey's eyes began to overflow with unshed tears. "There'll be plenty of food and entertainment!"
"And cake?"
"Yes…there can be cake if you want there to be…" the man hurriedly agreed, anything to stop Mori's murderous glares and Honey's heart-rending tears.
"Then we'll come!" Honey bounced back immediately, a bright smile on his face, tears drying up instantly.
"We will?" Several other voices asked.
"Thinking with his stomach again…" Hikaru sighed.
"That's settled then! Let's enjoy the party!" Tamaki declared. "Show us the way tribal man!"
---
The Host Club settled on mats laid out upon the mossy glade floor, surrounded by the villagers who were also wearing their own unique variations of incredible headgear. There was only a hushed murmur, apart from the rippling and gurgling of a tiny stream that wound its sinuous way through the clearing.
Suddenly, there was a sharp crack of two sticks being knocked together. The villagers all rose expectantly, looking towards a ring of stones that had been created at the front of the aisle they had created.
"Look – it's the Sky Goddess!" one of the children exclaimed, before being hushed by her mother.
"Sky Goddess?" Tamaki said doubtfully.
"There, the bride!" Honey pointed, sitting upon Mori's shoulders to get a better view of the proceedings. "She's beautiful!"
The bride slowly approached the ring of stones, a large bouquet of forest flowers, red tiger lilies in her hands. Upon her dress, many flowers and oddly coloured leaves had been hung and decorated and the dress shimmered in the hazy sunlight.
"Why is she covered in mud?" Hikaru wondered.
"What kind of style do you think they're drawing on?" Kaoru mused.
"Why does she look a lot like Haruhi?" Kyoya said slowly.
The shocking truth dawned upon the Host Club as though a veil had been lifted from in front of their eyes. It was indeed their Haruhi walking slowly past them, garbed in a wedding dress and pasted in mud. It was indeed Haruhi who was to be the Sky Goddess and be married off to a random jungle guy.
"Aiiee!" Tamaki cried out in despair. "Shouldn't I be walking her down the aisle as her father? My goal in life is eradicated!"
The second part of the filler. I've decided to spread it over three chapters, as it didn't fit over two…and I want the silliness to continue! Thank you for all your support.
I was also thinking…I have 92 alerts for this story. So if everyone who alerted this story gave me a review for this chapter…I would be very, very happy (not to mention surprised and grateful!)
Hope you enjoyed this!
AldabaranFox