Asahina was dreaming. Her hands faded in and out of her body, always with a different set of fingers. Her eyes couldn't focus on faraway objects, and she could even breathe underwater. Whether she realised it at the time didn't matter.
She didn't know where she was. It was empty, cold, barren. The ground was nowhere to be seen, and the sky was starless and black. This world was open, limitless. Yet, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was there as well. As she floated endlessly, she saw a tiny cell. Coloured of a deep green and barely bigger than her hand. It swam beside her, unfazed by her existence. Regardless, it was hungry. That's what it looked like. It would move at the slightest sound she'd make like it tried to pounce upon a prey. But, it was a simple bubble in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to do, eat or live. It could do nothing.
It couldn't do anything until that noise appeared. Asahina didn't even hear it until she saw the blob moving. It was a chant—a low song in an unknown, clicking language. There was no way she could know what the song meant or even separate words from it, but she began to notice patterns. The chant was looping, increasingly in sound.
And the small, green cell was getting faster, heading towards a random spot in the bleak world. Or so it seemed until a small light appeared, like a small porthole on the middle of a sunk ship. So warm, so tempting that even Mikuru felt herself running towards it. Anything to escape that lonely void. The chant grew in intensity, and she could begin to taste a sour, rotten savour on her tongue. But even that disgusting taste was better than feeling nothing at all. So when it was close enough, she leapt behind the creature into that light.
And saw herself atop of a mountain.
It wasn't Nishinomiya, or Kansai or anywhere in Japan. Instead, she was somewhere at the top of a dry, dead mountain. If she looked forward, she could see the glimmer of a desert town in the distance, cluttered with statues and pyramids. Above her, the moon was in a sky that resembled the southern hemisphere. That, however, didn't linger much on her mind. Because the people surrounding her demanded much more attention.
Standing on a circle, people stood on light coloured, almost transparent robes, chanting the same song. Their faces were pale and ash-like, with bloodshot eyes surrounded with soot. They were decorated by symbols resembling spirals, like gusts that started on their lips. All those people were looking directly at her and the small creature in front of her.
Asahina tried to move, but something stopped her. Painted in the ground with a chalky white substance, triangles and odd rhomboids surrounded her. And right on the middle, a familiar idol stood atop a pedestal. The same smiling and dreading idol she had abhorred in Kyon's house.
The tiny blob beside her looked shocked at the amount of unexpected stimulus, unmoving yet observant. It hovered around, inspecting each participant of the odd ritual before coming back to the middle of the circle.
Someone outside those in the chanting circle spoke softly, with a young feminine voice. Then, on cue, the chant stopped. That woman was the leader. The language she utilised was still intelligible to Mikuru, but she could see it was different to the chanters' language. More nasal and less harsh on the tongue as if she was listening to a voice underwater.
"Ninlil-Shu is stable." Asahina suddenly understood their language. "Quick, it needs us."
The cultists walked towards the pedestal in the middle one by one. The first one took the statuette and lifted it in the air. Seeing this, the minute green blob swooped down towards his nose and opened mouth, entering them much to the distaste of the chanter. He endured his best, trying to not cough or even breathe, but little by little, his face distorted into a silent horror and excruciating pain. Twisting, his eyes bulged slowly as he succumbed to asphyxiation and involuntary spasms. He didn't last more than one or two minutes before the cultist fell to the ground, cold and deflated, not a sign of life left on his body. Then, the green blob left the body, more prominent and more active.
Trapped and her body locked in fear, Asahina couldn't do anything but watch as the twelve cultists died, one by one, surrounding her and the pedestal. Then, finally, her body seized up, unable to scream, vomit or close her eyes. Instead, she stared in terror at the now substantial green cell, bigger than a truck with a less intense green colour.
The final cultist, the leader, slowly headed towards the pedestal to hold the idol one last time. She didn't hesitate either. But, once she lifted it, the blob pounced on her, entering through her nose before, suddenly, leaving through the mouth.
Now resembling more a gas bubble, the blob concentrated its form into a humanoid shape, three metres in height. Without a mouth or any organ, Asahina heard it speak. Its voice was low and husky like a man who had destroyed his lungs smoking. Yet, it was imposing and strong.
"Desires." Its voice boomed, facing the cultist leader who cried in joy as she kneeled. "Satiation."
"What could a humble servant like myself do for You?"
"Power. Depleted." The gas lost form, slowly leaking. "Enemies. Annihilation." The gas creature turned towards the idol, its shape sucked by it. "Vessel. Hollow."
"I will accomplish what you wish.
The cult leader observed the gas until the last few traces entered the stone idol. Then, she picked it and hid it in her robes, not a moment later. She glanced in Asahina's direction, observing her for a few moments before walking towards her and…
And she saw herself back in her bed, back home. Mikuru instantly jumped out of it, drenched in a cold sweat. Images of each cultist suffering and dying in front of her. She couldn't resist the urge of vomiting right on the spot. Crying and slobbering on gastric acid, it took her a while to notice the future calling—She was accused of an unauthorised jump in time.
The ceiling was far away. It was the first thing Kyon realised when he woke up. Why had he woken up? It took a bit to notice the incessant noise of his alarm. The same thing happened yesterday. Tired and dizzy, he lashed out his arm until he hit the clock, shutting it up.
His body wasn't rested, but he felt better. A few breaths after, the air scratching his lungs, he noticed the lack of ache in his muscles and stomach. He felt hungry. To top it all off, his body felt the need to move.
He got up without much trouble, stretched his arms before a sharp pain on his abdomen stopped him. He wasn't fully healed, but not quite as bad as yesterday. He opened his curtains. The trees in the nearby park were moving. Kyon remembered news about a typhoon, but it wasn't heading towards Japan last time he checked.
With all those things on his mind, it took him a while to notice it. The idol was gone. His desk was empty. Nothing that indicated the presence of the statuette remained. He investigated around the room to no avail. Kyon had tried several times to get rid of it, but it always returned. So how? Haruhi was in his room last night, so perhaps she took it? It should have reappeared in any case, no?
He left his room. The aroma of recently cooked food clouded his mind briefly. Perhaps Nagato had managed to destroy the odd gas entity, and he could return to his ordinary life. That's why the idol disappeared. But, of course, the reality wasn't like that. It was just an easily discarded theory that calmed him down.
Pampered by his lie, he climbed down the stairs. When he entered the kitchen, his sister and Haruhi were happily eating, unaware that he had just climbed down the stairs.
"Morning." His voice was raspy, the usual from waking up barely some minutes ago.
His little sister got surprised, so much that she almost choked on the last piece of toast in her mouth.
"My, my, someone looks much better." Haruhi smirked, not hiding her good mood.
"Well, my body still feels stiff, and it's tiring to be standing up. But yeah, nothing like yesterday."
"What did I tell you, eh lil'sis? One more day, and he'll be as lazy as ever."
Kyon's sister ignored Haruhi's comment, sitting up abruptly before half-shouting. "I…! I…! I won't tell anyone!" And she rushed out of the kitchen, barely controlling a weird giggle. Kyon stared dumbfounded at the speed of his sister.
"… What's wrong with her?" He looked back to Haruhi, who tried to hide her embarrassment.
"…Nothing." She hastily gathered all plates on the table and carried them to the kitchen sink. "I, eh, need to clean up."
"Okay, now what's wrong with you?"
"I said, nothing! That means there's nothing wrong with me. Why would there be something wrong with me?! Stop asking dumb questions!" Haruhi was noticeably flushed and nervous, but Kyon had no clue why. "Ah, yeah. I have to apologise for erm… breaking that cursed figurine. Yeah! I bumped into that thing, and it shattered." She started to wash the dishes, not looking towards him.
Her topic change was undeniable, but Kyon was interested in understanding more. "So it was you. I should have thought of that. I'm not mad or anything; I was planning to do the same anyways."
How in the world had she managed to do it was unclear, but there was an easy explanation. He supposed her reality breaking powers were simply more potent than some weird Buddha in a Sumerian cosplay. However, that question looped around to the matter at hand. Why was she embarrassed then? She showed no remorse about breaking it, at least.
"I'll make you some rice porridge in a minute. I didn't expect you'd wake up so soon." Haruhi's voice showed more restraint.
"Don't worry. I think I can do it." Kyon walked past her before realising something. "Wait, when did you break it?"
"Hm?" Haruhi glanced at him, a soft red still painting her cheeks. "When… when I went back to your sister's room. I took it with me. But I gripped it too hard, and it broke. And before you ask, I took it because it had some bad vibes to it, okay? Because whoever snuck it in your pockets did it to intimidate you. And nobody should… Nevermind." She continued to clean the plates, brooding over something.
Her explanation sounded half-right, or so Kyon thought.
"And my sister is like that because she saw you or what?"
Haruhi stopped washing the plates before staring at him with a frown.
"… I'll tell you because you won't shut up otherwise. But this doesn't get out from here, okay? Because there won't be a place on Earth where you won't suffer my wrath if it does, do you hear that?"
"Uh, okay." Her sudden serious tone was enough for Kyon to realise the graveness of the matter.
"Yesterday, your sister heard me leave her bedroom. And when you suddenly fell asleep I…" Haruhi closed and opened her mouth a few times, thinking about conveying the message. "I got scared, okay? I heard weird stuff, and I decided to sleep with- besides you for some reason. And now she thinks that we… that you and I… the whole night..." Several new shades of red were discovered on Haruhi at that moment.
"Oh." Kyon processed everything for a few long seconds before blushing as well. "Oh no."
"Yes, oh no. So you better shut your mouth. This never happened, okay?" She continued to wash the dishes, still mulling over everything.
"But I don't remember you getting inside my bed or, well, leaving it."
"What did I say? This never happened."
"…I was going to make some porridge. I don't know what you're talking about." Kyon scratched the back of his head before crouching down to get a pot. There, he noticed some very long hairs dancing on the front of his eyes.
"Ehem." Haruhi cleared her throat. "Do you mind if I take your bicycle? I won't arrive in time otherwise."
"Sure. The brakes are a bit loose, but you should be fine." He took a small pot and moved towards the sink. "If you don't mind." He turned the water tap towards him to fill the recipient.
The sink was small, so some contact between them was unavoidable. Being so close to each other was embarrassing after the whole misunderstanding. However, Haruhi didn't move and Kyon didn't care enough with his empty stomach and drowsy state.
"You didn't hear anything, right?" Haruhi muttered, taking advantage of the sudden proximity.
"When?"
"The voices. When I got scared last night, it wasn't a prank, was it?" Her voice was small, expressing her inner thoughts.
Kyon contemplated his answer, remembering all he could. "I didn't do anything. I barely remember what we talked about. Maybe it was all in your head, but even if they weren't, I wouldn't know."
Haruhi focused her vision on the stream of water, slowly filling the small pot. She was sure of it. The voices were authentic. But maybe it was all in her head like Kyon said. After all, random voices in the middle of the night? That was a pure scary story in the middle of a campfire. She was tired from not being able to sleep. So it was a mere sleepwalking incident. She just entered his bed because, maybe, she thought it was her own. At the moment, her mind should rest and forget the incident.
"I, erm…" A meek voice snapped them out of their thoughts. "I saw nothing!" Kyon's sister ran out of the kitchen with her bento. It took Kyon and Haruhi a while to notice how close they were to each other. They almost jumped back in unison.
"Penalty." Haruhi spouted, quickly drying her hands. "You clean the rest of the plates. Now you're doing it on purpose."
"What? I'm just trying to eat!" Kyon took a step back.
"You just had to fill that stupid pot now. I was washing there first, you know!" She stormed out of the kitchen, stopping at the door. "You better heal up when I come back."
Haruhi rode Kyon's bicycle, the sudden winds making it hard to balance. The sky was cloudy, and they completely covered the sun. She didn't know the usual traffic of the neighbourhood, but it was evident that the traffic was very sparse. Some people packed their cars with bags and objects; it was apparent that they were going out of town before the typhoon arrived. Other people rushed home with bags and bags of food and odd things with strange shapes. Yesterday, when she went to the nearby shop with Koizumi, the stock was ample, and nobody was buying in a rush. What could have happened overnight?
She tried to ignore them and focus on the ride to school. However, something was out of place. Perhaps it was the wind hitting her whole body. It felt heavy and damp, like it wanted to slow her down. And her nose picked up an odd, acrid smell. The winds were bringing the scent of the sea towards Nishinomiya, she believed. A not so usual sea mixed with the smell of death and hatred.
But the worst part was the shapes. Like something sleek was following her, creeping on her peripheral vision, trying not to get too close. Suzumiya attributed to paranoia. Even then, she found herself looking over her shoulder from time to time.
With that irrational fear, she reached the station, parked Kyon's bike and rushed towards North High. The wind pushed against her. She had to cover her eyes from time to time, debris and dust wanting to go inside her eyelids. It didn't take her longer than usual, but the bother of shielding her face was irritating.
She arrived earlier than expected, so she bumped into an honorary Brigade member,
"Yo, yo! If it isn't Haru-nyan!" Tsuruya loud greeting somehow didn't spark the curiosity of any other students. "I don't think I've ever caught you so early in the morning!"
"Good morning, Suzumiya." Asahina was beside her, but her meek attitude was shadowed by Tsuruya's. The Brigade's mascot was tired as if she was pondering over something.
"Hey, hey! Two of my favourite people in the world! It's been a while, hasn't it, Tsuruya? We should hang out more!" Haruhi proclaimed with similar joy that lessened as she noticed Asahina. "Did you have a rough night, Mikuru?" She continued.
"The wind has been rowdy. I slept two hours at most." Asahina answered, deflated.
"It really was, wasn't it? You can take a break at the clubroom if you want to!" Haruhi couldn't say much more. "On the bright side, Kyon is much better today. I bet he'll come to class tomorrow."
"That is if we have class!" Tsuruya laughed at her own prediction. "That typhoon is gonna be a super one. Lemme tell you that much!"
"Oh, I haven't watched the news," Haruhi admitted. "So that bad, huh? Do you know when is it making landfall? We still have like three days, no?"
"That's what the forecast said yesterday, but I don't believe a word! Rumours say it's getting faster, and we only have a day to evacuate. In any event, it's already category three, so with any luck, it doesn't do much damage!"
"Erm… Maybe we should do something special to bring good omens?" Asahina asked, withdrawn from the conversation.
"We'll decide later. I have to do something before classes start." Haruhi moved past them, waving back at them. "See you later!"
"Bye-bye Haru-nyan! Watch out for falling trees!"
Asahina didn't say anything but waved back as much energy as possible. The Brigade leader smiled at the attempt and ran towards the building. It had been a while since she had felt so much energy. But no, she didn't feel energetic. Purpose. She was fueled with an odd sense of purpose. Kunikida was there when Kyon must have gotten that figure. The idol she was carrying in her school bag. He must have realised if something was wrong, especially since he's the type of person who watches silently yet doesn't act.
When she entered her classroom, the class was half-filled. Some people were missing, but it was too early to tell if they had stayed home at all. The students that were there, however, were lethargic. They had come to class out of obedience rather than obligation. They clearly wanted to stay home, even more than usual.
Even the person she was looking for, Kunikida, had barely even sat down as well. Haruhi didn't waste a second.
"Hi, Kunikida." She tapped his back, making him jump in fright.
"Gee! You almost gave me a heart attack. Is something wrong, Suzumiya?" Kunikida asked, hiding his discomfort. After all, it wasn't normal for Haruhi to talk with her classmates.
"Not at all. I just wanted to tell you that Kyon is sick, but he's already getting better. Food poisoning. I know, right?" Haruhi carried the conversation so hard that she felt tension on her shoulders.
"Ah, thank you for checking. It surprised me since he's the type who wants a clean attendance record. But if he's getting better, then it's fine." Kunikida avoided Suzumiya's resolute expression, unsure of what else to say.
"By the way, can you answer me something?" She placed her bag on his desk and pulled out the grotesque idol from it. "Do you know what this is?"
A disgusted grimace appeared on Kunikida's face, taken aback by the aura of the idol. Then, after a second, he calmed down. "Well, I'd say it's an idol to worship some god. Probably influenced by syncretism. Otherwise, the mix of different styles doesn't make sense."
"Syncretism, huh? A fusion of religions. It's surprising; you seem to know what you're talking about," Haruhi commented, glancing at the figure.
"It's just what I can tell from a small analysis. I read this article about Tengrism that… Nevermind that. Though I will say, the cultural traces of this figure are distant. I see a bit of Sumerian, Indian and Japanese. That creepy smile even looks Mayan." Kunikida stopped talking before asking himself. "Why do you ask?"
"Somebody on your Saturday meet-up gave this to Kyon. Well, I say give, but they placed it without him realising."
Kunikida raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? We were barely six people, and we all knew each other from middle school." He placed his bag on the chair. "Now that you mention it, Sasaki did bump into some guy… Her boyfriend or something? It was a bit weird. I was talking with someone else, but he looked friendly. Kyon was with Sasaki, so maybe it was that guy."
Haruhi squinted her eyes. "If Sasaki has a boyfriend, that's good. But, I mean, what do you mean by weird?"
"Have you ever gotten that odd feeling where you know something's not going right? It felt like that. As if that person should not be there. Or exist. Like I was watching something straight out of the uncanny valley. But I'm not very good with people, so I just supposed I felt intimidated by that person. After all, Sasaki is… Sasaki is special in her own way. It's weird even to say the words 'Sasaki's boyfriend'."
"Okay, I get it. Sasaki is very cool and all that." Haruhi placed the figure back on her school bag. "Thanks for answering. You did well."
"Oh, uh, thank you?"
Right on cue, classroom teacher Okabe entered slowly through the central doorway. Time had passed too quickly, but at least she had gathered the information she wanted. Possibilities had narrowed down, and now she had a suspect. With this, the Brigade could act.
Lunch break had started. The halls were half-filled with students, too worried about the weather to feel truly hungry. Koizumi pushed by some student groups, making his way towards Nagato's classroom. It appeared the latter had thought up the same, as they met right on time.
"Kawahara hasn't come to class today." Koizumi immediately said. "I had people check her supposed residence, but it's empty as well. Did she want her treason to be known? Or did she believe it wouldn't matter if we knew?"
"Unknown. Irrational actions would confirm that she has been compromised. The gas entity is blocking all probes; its intensity has risen in strength in the past hours. I do not know where Kazumi Kawahara is at, but she hasn't left Nishinomiya." Nagato looked out the hall windows, staring at the horizon.
"And nobody has contacted Asahina either. We confirmed that yesterday. It feels like we're missing something, but what?" Koizumi joined her, biting the inside of his cheek.
They stood in silence until somebody talked to them. "I have a problem." Both of them looked back, noticing Asahina hugging herself.
"Oh my, Asahina. What's wrong?"
"My head… I'm not… I dreamt weird things yesterday." Asahina whispered, getting close to them. "I travelled in time and… I saw how the gas entity came to be. The cultists… They called it Ninlil-Shu. And worst of all, I saw that stone figurine in it."
"That Buddha idol in Kyon's room?" Koizumi thought out loud.
"Yes. That thing carried the entity to Japan, I'm sure of it. So we have to get rid of it." Mikuru did her best not to recall the events of that lost mountain.
"Or trap it inside again." The ESPer muttered. "All of this looks very sudden, and I don't want to sound mistrustful, but can you confirm any of this Nagato?"
Meanwhile, Nagato took Mikuru's hand. First, she merely made contact with it before locking hands more thoroughly. "It appears your brain waves have degraded ever since yesterday. This time jump should not be possible without your compliance or coordinates. Secondary effects are getting worse."
Koizumi remembered last night's stagnant and putrid air, much worse than what he had experienced beforehand.
"So the time jump was the entity's side-effects." He mentioned, looking at the time traveller. "Could it get worse?"
Nagato observed Asahina's teary eyes before answering. "The fact you saw the entity's inception is not random. But if it was premeditated, it was a mistake. We now know confidential data. A cult that worships Ninlil-Shu. The Overmind doesn't have any data on this sect. Yet."
"If this is true, then Asahina is our most important element right now. Do you know anything that might help us identify the group?" Koizumi continued. "The Overmind has been compromised, and the Agency attacked. Yet somehow, they didn't attack you, who right now have critical information. So if they intended this leak, we might need to take the bait."
"You've been attacked? Compromised? Powers at hand? Do you mean the cultists?" Asahina was more confused than scared by this point.
Koizumi gave her a rundown of everything that happened last night. The mysterious group that threatened him and his fellow ESPers, Kazumi Kawahara's betrayal of the Overmind, the cryptic messages and the hostile wind creatures. In-kind, Asahina told them everything she dreamed of last night.
"I suppose the cult would explain the over the top threats we got. Still, if this being feeds on lives, then all of us might be…" He didn't finish the sentence, clicking his tongue in disgust.
"I'm not sure why we're still alive," Mikuru muttered, thinking hard. "But all of this started with Kyon being sick, right?"
Koizumi blinked a few times. "Well, Nagato said that it was a symptom rather than a source."
"I think if we start chasing ghosts like evil groups and air creatures, we're going to end up more lost than before. So why don't we focus on Kyon and that weird idol? Whoever gave it to him must be a cultist."
Nagato glanced at Koizumi, expecting an answer. He had thought about questioning Kyon asap, but the gravity of the situation overburdened his mind. Besides, Nagato was following his lead rather than taking independent action. Was he in the wrong by following unsustained clues?
"You're right, Asahina." She softly smiled at his answer. "This all started when Kyon got that idol. Perhaps there's something we missed. Why Kyon of all people? Were they after Suzumiya? Too many questions."
"Stay with me tonight." Nagato suddenly pronounced, knowing that those statements worked with Mikuru. "I do not like your side-effects. Emiri Kimidori will protect you if I have to step out."
Asahina quickly agreed, bowing slightly, though she didn't realise its implications until much later. "Thank you. I'll make sure to repay you." Her answer was automatic, perhaps a bit cold even, but it was the only way Mikuru knew to answer Nagato correctly. Without stuttering, at least.
A moment later, students started to trickle out of their respective classrooms slowly. Then, as the hallway began to fill, the three supernatural members of the Brigade decided to split off again. However, before they could do so, they spotted Haruhi waving at them effusively.
"Well, this is a new sight!" The Brigade leader exclaimed. "I'm happy to see you all chatting, but there's something I need you guys to do."
Koizumi held back a sigh, believing that Haruhi's lack of concern of the Brigade's whispering was more in line than yesterday's uncomfortable questions.
"We were thinking about what should we do at Kyon's place, do you…" The ESPer trailed off as he noticed the object Suzumiya was holding. "Sorry, is that...?"
"Hm? Oh yeah, I took it from Kyon's home. Somebody slipped this figure into his jacket, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't a prank." Haruhi held it up. The idol blackened and had lost its terracotta colour like falling apart inside a high-heat oven. "Ew, it's leaving dust everywhere."
The three of them were stunned at the sight of the idol. Even more shocked at the fact that Haruhi waved it around casually. The figure that killed a dozen people or even more, held by one of the most important people in the world. They couldn't overreact, lest might she think foul play.
"Ah, um… Kyon doesn't know who did it?" Asahina asked, snapping out of her shock.
"No, the only thing he knows is that somebody slipped it in last Saturday. But Kunikida told me that it was probably someone related to Sasaki. That's why I said I needed some help. Do you guys know if Kyon has Sasaki's address or number? I want to ask her if she knows something about this thing and about who that guy was."
"She was his classmate in middle school, right? So it would be weird if he didn't. But, forgive me for the question, why are you so invested over this?" First, Koizumi knew he treaded muddy water, but the last thing he wanted was Haruhi to get involved in this power struggle against a shady cult. Secondly, Suzumiya couldn't have that dangerous idol on her hands.
"Because… don't you guys believe this is weird?" She answered, holding up the idol. "It makes me uncomfortable. And it's not only because it looks creepy. Yesterday it moved on its own, it sounds crazy, but I believe it. It even made the wind speak, isn't it crazy? So there has to be some explanation behind it."
Haruhi's voice wavered between excitement and alarm, unsure how to feel. And that indecision rubbed off in the other Brigade members. Because if Haruhi was invested, everything could end up worse, much worse. If she believed that the wind had actual powers, what if everything turned for the worse?
"It is true that the figurine is odd but isn't that story a bit too much? Are you sure you didn't dream it?" Koizumi maintained his fake smile.
"Kyon was asleep, but… I'm not sure. I want to believe I was sleepwalking. But what I heard and what I felt? I've never had a dream like that."
"Even then, I think asking Miss Sasaki is a bit weird, right?" Then, with a meek voice, Asahina gathered the courage to speak up."We don't know her, and if you ask her something like that, she might take offence."
"Maybe… What do you think, Yuki?" Haruhi turned to Nagato, who was staring at the idol.
"This is not a fairy tale. It is just a stone figure." The alien stated.
"Well, you got that right. Maybe I'm going a bit mad." Suzumiya muttered.
"Why don't we think about this after the typhoon has passed? Besides, we thought we could have dinner together at Kyon's house. I-If they allow it, obviously."Asahina interjected, much to Koizumi's delight. The less Haruhi thought about it, the better.
"Oh, true! Besides, since the typhoon is coming, we might not have a Brigade meeting in quite a few days." When Haruhi finished the sentence, the stone figure suddenly snapped. Its head fell almost fell to the ground before Koizumi caught it with surprising speed. When he looked at his hand, the stone had become jet black sand.
"Gee, what a crappy thing. Move it around, and it comes apart like sand. Who even made this anyways?"
"I could ask an acquaintance for more info on this figure if you wish. Perhaps knowing its origins would ease your mind?" Koizumi offered, holding his free hand forward.
"I suppose… Yeah! You're always reliable with that." Haruhi passed the broken idol to Koizumi, who held back a grimace to the sandy tough of the figure. Asahina slight relief paused as she saw the statuette even closer to her.
"I think we don't have much time for a brigade meeting, so let's meet up by the front gate when we finish classes, okay?"
Asahina stared in dismay at the statue's sorry state. It was falling apart, was that supposed to happen? Besides, its colour was all wrong, losing its red-brown colour to that unnatural deep black. She shifted her eyes towards Nagato, who shook her head.
She had to do something. If Kyon didn't know who gave him the statuette, then the only other chance was for her to go back and see it with her own eyes. Her bosses would approve if it were for something this important.
They were about to go their separate ways when they noticed a bunch of students gathering around the far end of the hall. They could hear the voices of some teachers talking out loud, not too pleased at their messages.
"We've received a call from the central government. All classes are suspended until the typhoon passes by." Kyon and Haruhi's homeroom teacher shouted.
Some students instantly ran back to their classes, grabbed all their belonging and bolted out of there. A minority had already their bags on their hands and simply ran before everyone else. When other, more cautious students saw the sudden influx of people running, they did the same. After a few moments, chaos erupted. The teachers couldn't manage the unexpected and unrequited panic. The typhoon was still days away, after all.
Nagato was able to see this coming and managed to pull the rest of the Brigade into a nearby classroom. Students still panicked inside it, but at the very least, there was no risk of being trampled over.
"Geez, what in the world is up with everyone today?" Suzumiya's complaints went over everyone's head. "They're going to get injured." She said, trying and failing to peek out of the door.
As his phone started vibrating from an unwanted call, the ESPer flinched as a foul, rotted odour aggressively entered his nostrils. It was even worse than the night before. He turned around, observing the big windows of the classroom religiously. Then he saw it. Glass panels shook as a strong westerly wind hit the whole building. That wind wasn't random or coincidental. It crashed against the windows like a claw, wanting the sweet contents inside it. The wind still wasn't strong enough for the recently built school windows. But the branches, sticks and pebbles it carried were. Koizumi blamed himself, knowing that there wasn't any time to react.