Perhaps she was being reckless.
That was the first thought that crossed Asahina's mind as she closed the living room door. That, perhaps, she was venturing into the lion's den. But that was the only way to get their teeth. And if it was dangerous, she had to do it. Whatsmore, her superior's had given her the green light. And when the future wished something done, it meant this was a critical mission. So what else could she do but jump into that fateful Saturday?
On Saturday, almost four days ago, Kyon received that idol. Whoever gave it to him had to be a close mastermind of the whole situation. Learning who did it would mean having a clear target that Nagato or Koizumi could locate and… end.
She had the proper coordinates and the proper time. Of course, the jump would be messy, but it would be much more accurate with such a short timeframe.
So Asahina closed her eyes in Kyon's bathroom and opened them on an alleyway somewhere downtown. Her TPDD had correctly done the job, even though she had appeared somewhere further away from where Kyon would be at. She wasn't sure. How did she even know where he would be at? She didn't remember asking her. Her head was pounding, the time-jump somehow messing with her equilibrium. It had never happened to her before.
The headache was the least of her problems. Her ears were ringing, first from the act of time-travelling and then from an incessant sound drilling into them. A chant whistled in the air, too high for her ears to handle. It was so relevant that she didn't notice what was happening around her.
Then, a stern voice appeared out of nowhere. "Wanderer of time, welcome."
Behind her, there was a woman in black robes and a mask, suspiciously familiar—the woman who sacrificed twelve people in her dream. Immediately, Asahina noticed the chalky white substance surrounding her, the same as the one in that arid mountain. More people surrounded her, cultists as well, four in total. They were chanting in a language she couldn't process.
"The summoning has proceeded correctly. You speak Japanese, do you not?" The masked cultist asked with a slight accent. "So tell me, who are you?"
Asahina didn't answer, still processing what was going on. Of course, jumping through time wasn't geographically precise. There was always a few dozen metres of error, but this was too much of a coincidence. The lines on the ground acted like some sort of beacon, and it somehow drew her into it. But that wasn't possible, was it?
"She's not even answering a simple question." The masked cultist sighed before switching to an odd nasal language. "She will answer."
Asahina understood the strange language again. Something similar happened in her dream. Regardless, the four cultists took a while to process and start her order. Finally, they stopped their chant before raising their arms towards Asahina. The air went still, the city sounds becoming a faraway song.
"Let's start again." The masked cultist's voice switched to Japanese. "Who are you?"
"Mikuru Asahina." Her voice came out without prompting. What was happening? Asahina didn't even try to answer.
"Where… No, forgive me. From when do you come from?"
"Classified information." The programming of her training still remained, at the very least.
The masked cultist glared at the cultists around. Asahina could tell she didn't like that answer.
"Annoying, this is what they get from giving me limited resources. But, I'm a humble Prior, I summoned you here for a purpose. Do you know it?" The Prior questioned Asahina again, her voice sultry and calmed.
"…It is related with Ninlil-Shu," Asahina answered again against her own will. The future had similar tools to pry out the truth with the disruption of brain waves, but those methods were unsavoury and dangerous. Was she being subjected to something similar?
"You know the name." The Prior paused before speaking in the nasal language. "Did you witness Ninlil-Shu's escape?"
Asahina understood it once again. Although she shut her jaw tight, she somehow answered again. "Yes."
The Prior was elated, clapping her hands in bemusement. "So it was true, I wasn't the only survivor. Then this seals it. You are the perfect vessel."
The four cultists stopped the odd ritual, dropping their arms in unison before surrounding the time traveller
"V-Vessel?" Asahina asked, this time willingly. Somehow, however, the cultists around her were also masked, but they didn't feel as threatening.
"These are my neophytes; they won't do you any harm." Still speaking in that language, the leader walked towards Asahina. The lead cultist offered her hand to her. "Let us finish the ritual."
"Ritual? I'm not…" She wasn't going to do anything. That's what Asahina wanted to say. But those words never came out of her mouth.
"Of course you are. It seems you're not able to tell me, but the link you created with Ninlil-Shu isn't removable. After all, you answered our call and travelled to this time."
Mikuru stared at the spiral pattern of the Prior's mask, unable to comprehend the meaning of her words. But, then, everything came down on her at once. What was she even thinking? She had gone back in time unprepared, without any advice or protection. She was a fool. Her mind had tricked her. She had the idea to come back in time ever since the dream, so it had been imprinted on her like one would mark livestock.
The four neophytes took three steps back, letting the Prior forcefully take Asahina's arm in utter silence.
"Do not be scared. We merely need your power for a few moments." The woman said, nestling against Asahina. "If you understand what I say, you also understand that I mean no harm."
Mikuru didn't want to admit it, but she felt a soothing warmth when the unnatural body of the cultist touched her. And in the clean, pure air of four days ago, she made up her mind fairly quickly. She had to make up for her mistakes and help everyone.
"Why do you want me?"
"There we go, isn't cooperation gratifying?" The Prior pushed Asahina out of her reach, almost throwing her to the ground. "We only need you to travel back in time, carrying our precious Ninlil-Shu. To the year… 211 of the Gregorian calendar, preferably before June 21st. After you do that, you can return and continue with your life. We're running on a tight schedule, so please do not make this harder than it has to be."
Asahina swallowed. She couldn't do that. Not only did she need permission, but the timequake created by Suzumiya also wouldn't let her travel so far in time. But without the other cultists' making that truth spell, this presented her with an opportunity.
"…Okay."
"Wise decision. Come with me." The Prior led Asahina out of the alleyway, followed by the other four cultists closely behind. "We're running out of time."
The people in the streets didn't seem to notice them. They didn't even react to all the cultists' odd clothes or Asahina's whimpers. They were invisible as far as she could tell.
"It's a gamble, but we don't have any other choice. You need to be in close proximity to the source of energy." The masked cultist explained. "Ninlil-Shu will take the energy, and the transfer will happen. Nothing of your concern."
Yeah, there was nothing of concern, Asahina thought. Nothing, nothing at all. She knew the Cult hadn't approached Suzumiya beforehand, only Kyon. Which meant this was bound to fail. And when it did, well, she could return with newfound knowledge. She was facing the cultist leader, after all.
"This is enough." The Prior stopped, reaching towards something in her robes.
Asahina saw someone familiar in the distance. A classmate of Suzumiya's classroom, Kunikida. He was chatting with two other unknown people. And beside her, she saw Kyon talking with Sasaki. From its looks, the conversation was light, and they seemed to be scouting for something. She didn't remember why they met up, but they did.
"There she is." The Prior was tense at the sight. "See that girl? That's the source of unlimited energy. So vast is that pool that we will be able to carry the ritual of transfer with minimal preparation."
An absolute silence involved the cultist group. The air picked up, the four neophytes surrounding Asahina, keeping a distance of two metres. The Prior remained next to her, pulling a familiar-looking idol from her hands.
"This should be enough. Otherwise, we'll need to take that girl and force her to use her powers." She remarked, placing the figurine on Asahina's hands yet not removing her hands from the statuette's head. "Take it."
Mikuru swallowed a small trickle of saliva, her mouth dry and barren. The idol was light, yet it oozed an aura of miasma that could only spew out from pure evil. Inside was that green blob called Ninlil-Shu. And in those moments of disgust, she understood why her superiors had allowed her to go back in time.
"Do not move." The masked woman observed Sasaki and Kyon slowly walking forward. She maintained her grip on the idol, waiting for something. "Right on time."
Someone walked towards Sasaki and Kyon. Asahina didn't have time to see who it was, but Sasaki seemed to know him. Striking a conversation with them, they got divided from the main group. Kyon looked uncomfortable, keeping an odd distance from the unknown man.
"I did say that I meant no harm; the same can't be said about Ninlil-Shu. So I recommend you breathe deeply."
With that, the Prior removed her hand from the idol, a green fog surrounding Asahina instantly. She ignored the cultist's words, holding her breath as long as possible. Ninlil-Shu didn't seem to care, as it forced its way through her nose and ears, inflicting a massive headache on her. Her lungs weren't taking in the gas, but that didn't seem to help at all. Instead, that thing was eating her head, crashing against the ridges of her brain. Images flashed through her mind, of beings that weren't meant to be; asymmetrical and dreadful in ways that weren't conceivable, of places that the solar system had no hopes of containing—the images stacked upon each other, leaving her little room to process them.
Her knees gave up alongside her sense of smell and hearing. That gas was pulsating like it was breathing or like a heartbeat. Every wave felt like it was going to burst open her whole head. Yet that moment never came. And the waves became weaker and weaker.
"Something's wrong." The Prior hastily said, looking back at Sasaki. "Did I make a mistake?"
Asahina's eyes widened in realisation. They had mistaken Sasaki and Suzumiya. She was sure of that. The Prior instantly turned and tried to snatch the idol from Asahina's hands. But she wouldn't let it have it so easy. As soon as the cultist reached out, Asahina threw herself on top of the idol, doing whatever she could to make them waste time. However, something grabbed Mikuru's waist and pulled her up from the street, up to the eye-level of the cult leader. The latter took hold of the idol, but Asahina quickly strengthened her grip, pulling it towards her again.
"Stop looking around and help!" Once again, the Prior spoke in Japanese, somehow struggling to overpower a schoolgirl. "If we take any more time…!"
The green cloud surrounding her was becoming almost invisible to the human eye. It was beginning to expand out of bounds, out of the grasp of the idol. It lacked enough strength to take her body, so it dissipated like a day old balloon.
"LET ME GO!" Asahina screamed, curling up to protect the idol from the Cult.
The cultists suddenly dropped their struggle. Asahina fell to the ground, scratching her knees but still holding the idol close to her. Her mind was dizzy, preventing her sight from focusing correctly. But even in that state, she knew what the Cult was focusing on—herself. They all looked at her with a mix of fear and respect. Even the Prior put some distance from her.
"Ninlil-Shu?" A neophyte suddenly spoke.
The teary eyes of Asahina turned to him, making him drop to his knees in reverence. Then, confused and half-crying, Asahina got up from the pavement as the rest of the cultists bowed to her. All of them, except the leader.
"It seems I won't be thrown to the gallows for this failure." The masked leader mentioned looking at the skies. "Most of Ninlil-Shu's body has escaped, yet…" She turned her head towards Asahina. "It seems you have a piece of it inside you. This partial failure will give us time."
Asahina didn't take any more chances. She started running away; the idol wedged in her hands. Or so she thought until an invisible appendage pulled her towards the cult again.
"Where do you think you're going?" The Prior moved her hand back, Asahina landing in front of her. "Towards that boy?"
"N-No, I…"
"Prior." A neophyte suddenly questioned. "If the transfer ritual was partially successful, then she… No, then Ninlil-Shu should do what they want."
The masked leader glanced at the initiate. She twisted her hands, and the neophyte's head exploded like ice on boiling oil, blood and flesh spraying around. The other three cultists didn't look fazed.
"Promising initiates don't forget the rules. And a lesson to be learnt, a partial failure doesn't translate to a partial success." The Prior mentioned, turning to Asahina, who was shocked at the sudden snatching of life. "So you were running towards the boy accompanying the False God."
"I was just running away." Asahina steeled herself with that answer, her eyes avoiding the headless man on the floor. "I-If you want the idol, just have it."
That wasn't exactly what she wanted to do. If Kyon hadn't received that idol and became sick, Nagato wouldn't have detected the gas entity. And with that, Mikuru would have never explained her prophetic dream since she would have no idea about the idol. Similarly, Koizumi might have been injured or worse when those air spiders attacked him and Arakawa. So if she could just hand it over to him, then everything would be set in motion.
"Speaking the ancient tongue without any trouble, you're full of surprises. Perhaps Ninlil-Shu's influence has helped you, or did you know it even before the botched transfer?" The Prior commented, taking the idol from her without any struggle. Asahina hadn't even noticed she had switched from Japanese. "And because of that, I know what you're feeling. So I must give this to him for some ulterior motive. Perhaps it's needed for you to appear here?"
What should she even say? How could she trust a murderer? Yet, she already gave back the idol for some reason. Was that the entity's influence? She wasn't sure anymore.
"Very well." The Prior gave the empty idol to one of the initiates, who immediately approached Kyon and carefully installed it inside his pocket. "An empty idol with lingering scraps. It may kill him, but someone who speaks our dead tongue is trustworthy."
"I…" Asahina got up from the ground, facing the Prior. "I come from the future. And you don't exist there, b-because you will fail."
The Prior didn't have any time to answer, as Asahina's TPDD activated. Then, her sight turned dark.
She found herself in Kyon's lower floor bathroom when she opened her eyes again. It had been a few minutes since she had left. Mikuru glanced at the bathroom mirror and sighed, relieved, frustrated, angry. She had placed her hand on the mouth of a lion and escaped unscathed. Now, at the very least, she had an idea of what they were after. Herself. If the Cult wanted her, then that meant she could be bait. Sure, she hated that, but it was a role only she could do.
Filled with a sense of anguish, she left the bathroom. Only to find the entrance hall wholly destroyed. Holes filled the hall walls, big enough to fit a tall person and see-through into the room. The living room's furniture was completely exposed to the wind and rain from the broken entrance.
And dwelling in the halls and rooms, there were creatures. Beings formed by air moved their limbs to destroy everything around them, like compressed air. Others had a body or something reassembling one, composed of dead sticks and debris found on the streets. At least three or four were hovering to her right, waiting for the kitchen door to be smashed open by a more prominent being of the same composition.
And when the kitchen door was bursted open, Asahina gasped in surprise and fear, prompting all abominations to observe her. Her heart stopped for a long second before kicking into overdrive. They were looking at her like many blind kittens searching for her mother.
She took a step back in fear, bumping into someone.
"Oh my, aren't you Mikuru Asahina?" Somebody tapped her back, a student of North High with an unremarkable appearance. Wasn't this Kazumi Kawahara?
Asahina didn't have time to answer, as Nagato suddenly grabbed Kawahara's collar and threw her into a nearby wall, destroying what little remained of it. It didn't look like Nagato was fairing very well. Her breathing was uncharacteristically ragged, and her movements were slow and sluggish. The very same abominations seemed to pursue her at every moment. It didn't look like she was using any data manipulation either.
"Evacuate," Nagato ordered before being thrown to the ground by a ripple of concrete and dust.
"I would follow her advice; those fellows don't look very amicable." Kawahara walked past Asahina, waving her goodbye.
The abominations, however, stood idly, waiting for Asahina to say anything. She shielded her eyes from Nagato's battle debris and turned towards what little remained of the entrance. Perhaps she was being overwhelmed by the numbers of the enemy. Besides, where was everyone else? Maybe on the upper floors? She didn't have time to stop and look. But regardless, those things had to go away. So maybe…
"C-Come!" Asahina yelled, running through the broken tiles and rubble. The monsters turned and seemed to follow her. Perhaps what that mad Cultist said was true. She had a piece of this gas entity inside her. And maybe, that meant she had a loose sense of control over them. If they were all that slow, she could outrun them.
But when wind and rain impacted her from all sides, she wavered. She was doing something crazy. Something crazy, yes. But something that helped Nagato. So even in that craziness, Asahina had to press forward. In the end, she was sure someone would come and help her.
Asahina wasn't even sure where she was going. The wind was somehow pushing her so that she could move a bit too much faster than usual. However, the air beings continued to follow her complacently. Even those that weren't in Kyon's home were approaching her. How many were there in the town? Hundreds? Was this how the Pied Piper of Hamelin felt?
Even with all her determination, the weather took too much toll on her. It felt like hours, yet only minutes had passed. The rain syphoned away any heat on the air, and the wind did the same on her body. Her high school uniform wasn't meant for this extreme weather if it even could withstand a faint breeze.
"I think this is it." Asahina stopped walking, trying to find shelter from the weather in the overhang of an apartment building. "Just stay with me, and the Brigade will be alright."
"Wanderer of Time." A voice suddenly cut through the air. "It's been a few days."
Asahina's tired body tensed up as she saw a familiar figure once again. The masked cultist, the Prior. Her mask was broken, and she could see a null void behind it.
"Ah, this? Sorry, it seems the Prophet did not find my actions amusing." The Prior glanced at the nearby scornful monsters. "You have quite the followers." She removed her mask, showing her non-existent face to the world. "You'll soon have even more."
Nagato knew she had no chance to beat Kawahara without the Overmind's support. But, of course, that didn't consider Asahina leading all the entities away from the house. She was, however, already against the ropes. Without the Overmind's link, she was getting weaker, sick. Needless to say, she had already expected that, but it was happening quicker than she had expected.
Kawahara, however, was acting differently. She was also without a connection to the Overmind. Yet, something was fueling her. Kawahara wasn't sick, and she sported some limited data manipulation skills. She could use levitation, telekinesis and could form a rough data shield around her. Because of this and more, Nagato hadn't been able to land a single hit on her. Kawahara was very cautious of letting Nagato touch her too.
Kyon's house had become a battlefield, and Nagato couldn't find anything besides remorse and anger in the rubble. Now, backed against a corner in the living room, she had almost a full view of the entrance and kitchen door. She didn't want to fight Kawahara here, but she hadn't expected the air abominations. Now, with those gone, she could lead her away and commence countermeasures.
"I believe this is our first conversation, Yuki." Kawahara happily mentioned. "With you, my dear superior who fell from glory."
Nagato didn't answer, glancing at the broken kitchen door. She couldn't exactly see if Kyon and Haruhi were still there. But she hadn't expected that her sealing spell would be broken.
"You used your last moments of connection locking them up. How sweet." Kawahara once again tried to spring forward a conversation.
"Kazuki Kawahara. Radical faction. No data breaches. No rule infringement. Spotless actions." Nagato muttered. "Why?"
"Why did I betray the Overmind?" Kawahara asked, her clothes rustling in the gale.
"Revenge for Ryoko Asakura?" Nagato asked, keeping her distance from her.
"Oh, that's a good theory." Kawahara nodded. "We were, of course, of the same faction. Like her, I was also a proponent of action instead of observation. She was an exemplary interface, the best in many ways. Better than me. And you. If she had a physical body, I wonder what she would do right now. Help me? Or help you?"
"There's no purpose in discussing hypothesis," Nagato answered.
Kawahara's eye twitched, and she threw another wave of debris against Yuki. The latter quickly dodged out of the way, throwing a piece of broken furniture at Kawahara's face. But, like all other attempts, the shield disintegrated the block before anything could happen.
"Do you know what I hate? Asakura got her body destroyed for going against the Overmind once. When you literally destroyed the Overmind, you got a slap on the wrist. That boy," She pointed towards the kitchen. "Has made clear his hostility against the Overmind, jeopardising the mission. Kimidori could easily remove his memory and replace you. Yet, they don't. Do you know why?"
"…" Nagato didn't answer, either because of ignorance or because she was too tired to do so.
"Because the Overmind might have all the knowledge in the galaxy, but they lack wisdom. They are so engrossed in self-evolution that they put their existence at risk. And then, the Sky Canopy Dominion appears, an emergent power that can dethrone the Overmind in data monopoly… and they choose diplomacy?! They attacked you, a member of the Overmind, several times. And Kimidori just let them go? What a joke." Kawahara kicked a broken brick on the ground.
"We lack the means to understand each other. To attack now would be detrim-" Nagato couldn't finish her phrase before a jet of broken rubble hit her chest head-on, pinning her to the floor.
"That only cemented the obvious for me. The Overmind is an old dog that should be put down. That's why I searched for wisdom. And, of course, I found it." She walked over to Nagato's body, which struggled to get up from the ground.
"The Overmind has forsaken you. And when you die in the physical world, it will be permanent." Yuki lunged forward, striking Kawahara's shield with her hand. It was repelled, leaving her hand mangled.
"Death is something we should all strive for. The lack of death is the reason why the Overmind is unbalanced. They see no worth in wisdom, for their immortality begets conformity against failure." Kawahara hovered above Nagato, not hiding her scowl. "The Prior asked for your body. And after I'm done with you, the ritual requires Suzumiya to trigger a data explosion. I suppose I can accomplish Asakura's dream to do that, don't you think?"
"I have finished my analysis." With those words, Nagato thrusted her broken hand into Kawahara's shield, her skin being ripped to shreds as it passed through the shield. Kawahara yelped in fear as Nagato clutched her throat with her almost severed hand, bones showing in several places.
Kawahara jumped in panic, flying to the street outside while wrestling with Nagato. She tried to pry her hand away, but Nagato answered by piercing her shield again with her other arm. With that, her grip was secure. "You are gaining strength from the gas entity, letting you use basic data manipulation abilities. However, your physical body has remained the same as your original. Same weaknesses."
Kawahara struggled to fly upwards, the strong winds toying with her like a leaf. In the struggle, they got slammed against the roof of a nearby house and crashed against a city park. Kawahara's fall was softened by an unlucky tree, while Nagato fell face down into the pavement.
Nagato tried to get up, only to find her right arm without a hand. That was troublesome. To make matters worse, the lack of visibility of the night plus the strengthening gales would make capturing the rogue interface much harder.
Kawahara limped out of the row of trees, her body slowly fixing her broken bones and torn muscles.
"It doesn't matter what you do, Yuki. Without the Overmind, you haven't noticed yet!" She yelled over the loud weather. "I have already won. I only needed to drag you away and provoke a data explosion. Both have already occurred. The transfer ritual will begin any minute now!"
"I am not the only variable," Yuki muttered, only having enough strength to sit down on the concrete tiles. Her ribcage was broken in several places. It wouldn't hold her weight.
"Your allies are all scattered. Kimidori is blind in her tiny apartment, more than likely licking the boot of the Sky Canopy Dominion. That Itsuki boy is probably already apprehended. Mikuru was compromised ever since the plan began. And your little crush Kyon is probably already snuffed by our air pawns. So what can the mighty SOS brigade do now?" Kawahara hovered once again, her wounds healed in a matter of seconds.
Nagato pushed her body over the edge, her bones cracking while her muscles stretched to their utmost limit. Finally, she stood up and locked eyes with Kawahara.
"And Haruhi Suzumiya?" Nagato asked, her voice silky and smooth even in the hostile winds.
"Please, Yuki, I didn't take you for a prankster. A weapon doesn't fire on its own. You can't steal her powers this time anyways." Kawahara scoffed, holding back a laugh.
Nagato stared at her wounded arm, blood oozing from where her hand was supposed to be. It wasn't as debilitating as she believed; the heat from Kawahara's shield had mostly cauterised it. But, even then, Nagato understood. Haruhi had trusted her when she was at a low point. And now, Yuki would trust in her in return.
"Haruhi Suzumiya is more than just someone with the power of self-evolution. And that's the hole in your plan."
Kyon suddenly regained awareness when something rough like sandpaper scratched his face, again and again. Everything was cold and wet, yet that sandpaper felt warm. After the sandpaper meowed, he realised it was his cat. Pawing his back and licking his cheek, Kyon pushed it off himself and got up from the ground. His body was sore and drenched in water, the raincoat he had on his hands barely protecting his back when he fell. However, there was more than water covering him—a red substance that could only be one thing; blood.
"Haruhi!"
She was knocked on the floor beside her, unconscious as far as he could tell. But there was blood. On the wet floor, on her clothes, on her face. It triggered an instant reaction from Kyon. She had cuts all over her face and neck, some with glass shards embedded in them. Her eyes seemed to have been struck too, and that worried him. He should remove them as soon as possible, maybe?
Kyon flipped through the swiss knife to find an appropriate tool for the job. But tried as he wanted, there weren't any pliers. Yet, when he looked back at Haruhi's unconscious face, something was flying around her. He tried to swat them off when he remembered what Nagato had given him. The microbots heard his pleads for help and seemed to land on Haruhi's face, taking tiny shards from it with them.
"Okay, you do that and…" And then he noticed the wound on the back of her head. It was leaving a pool of blood below her, and it was getting bigger.
What should he do? Continue to remove the glass? Stop the bleeding? All of that at once? He had no idea, and his mind couldn't focus on one exact thing. The wound on the back of her head was the worst one, wasn't it? Even the cat tried to scurry below her head, licking her bloodied hair.
"Stop it, go away!" Kyon shooed the cat before realising that he hadn't even checked her vitals.
Kyon took her wrist, but he couldn't feel a thing between his coldness and his nervousness. After a moment of quick thinking, he placed his ear on her chest. And after a moment of terror, he heard a heartbeat, along with her breathing.
"Thank god." Kyon sighed, getting up from the ground.
The kitchen door was busted open, but he couldn't see anyone outside or around the broken house. It wasn't like the night sky allowed him to see anything. Nagato must have destroyed those monsters, but that didn't mean more wouldn't come back. Leaving Haruhi alone wasn't an option. But he needed to wrap something around her head, and the battered kitchen didn't seem like an option. The first aid kit was in the living room. He had to get it.
"This is a nightmare…! Damn it, damn it, damn it!" He didn't know what to do. And staring at Haruhi's unconscious body only aggravated him more. Why did he have to be useless at such a vital time?
Kyon rushed out of the kitchen, dressing the raincoat. He barely had any time to reflect on the damage that the whole lower floor had sustained. He dug through the splinters and rubble, finding cans of food and water, but not the kit. He kept at it for half a minute more before getting frustrated. So he rushed out of the house, calling for Nagato, Koizumi, or Asahina. But, unfortunately, his voice didn't even reach the place next door. He could barely see anything on the streets. The streetlights were dead, and the wind only aggravated him even more.
His mind suddenly remembered another first aid kit on the second floor. So he turned around and climbed the stairs towards the second floor. But as soon as he did that, something stopped him. Like a shield had been placed inside, he couldn't climb the last set of stairs. Did Nagato leave it there to protect his sister? He was grateful, but it was preventing him from reaching the damn bathroom.
With that, he decided to improvise and ran towards the kitchen again. Only to find that Haruhi wasn't there anymore. He rapidly scouted the kitchen, but besides dirty rags and a whole lot of glass, the only thing remaining of any presence was the pool of blood and the trail coming out of the kitchen. Kyon only needed to turn his head to see Haruhi standing outside in the street, her hand towards the sky, observing it like it didn't feel real.
"Haruhi!" He wasn't even sure what the hell she was doing. Should he even be mad? Glad that she wasn't unconscious? Worried about the blood trail she was leaving behind?
She spoke without looking at him when he got out of the house.
"I can't see very well." Her voice was but a small string in the deafening sound of the wind. With an eye half-open and the other one with a large piece of glass on it, Kyon could clearly see why that was the case. Like one would grab a pen, Haruhi grabbed a piece of glass from her cheek and pulled on it
"Stop it, you idiot." Kyon would be impressed at her boldness if they weren't in the middle of a life-threatening situation.
"Where's Yuki? And Mikuru? Wasn't Koizumi coming?" She asked with only her left eye half-opened. The other one had a giant shard of glass penetrating it, preventing her from using it.
"I… Worry about yourself first! Let's go back inside, come on!" Kyon was about to grab her hand when he noticed Haruhi's indifferent expression.
"Why are you so worked up about me?" She asked, touching her face as if he had drawn over it. She observed her bloodied hand with a grimace before shrugging and continuing. "I think you should… Agh! This wind is annoying!"
On cue, the high-speed winds of the typhoon came to a sudden halt. The change was so abrupt that Kyon almost lost balance, his ears ringing from the sudden drop of noise.
"Better." Haruhi flicked her bloody and wet hair before continuing. "And why are the lights out?" The streetlights became powered out of nowhere. "Okay, now that's double better. But yeah, look at that."
Haruhi pointed at somewhere beyond, but Kyon was too worried about the sudden use of powers that she had just displayed. He was even more concerned at how nonchalantly she had used them. What was going on? Was this like what happened in that closed space? No, she was aware of her actions. So perhaps… Yes, that had to be the only way.
"What, sorry?" Kyon repeated, observing where Haruhi had pointed at. "The… the hell is that?"
In the distance, blocked by nearby houses, Kyon could see something in the sky. Like a mass of pulsating hate congregating in a single point. Its green colouration and the fact that it was happening right on this catastrophic event only meant one thing. It had to be the gas entity, somehow pulling itself into one point.
"What, you don't hear it?" Haruhi calmly said. "It's the representation of a nightmare, duh. It keeps saying something about a ritual, the usual cliche. Anyways, now that I know who keeps muttering my name, we can beat it. And if I were a betting woman, I'd say that's where the rest of the Brigade is at."
"I… What do you expect us to do?" Kyon zipped up his raincoat, feeling the buzz of the microbots inside his hood.
"This is my dream. I suppose I'll figure it out as we go." Haruhi touched her injured eye and pulled out the glass shard without caring. "Why do I even have this?"
"Please don't do that." Kyon pleaded as Haruhi started walking towards the swirling green cloud.
"Who cares? A dream's a dream." Kyon stopped her from pulling out yet another deep encrusted glass shard, prompting a wry face from Haruhi. "I'll wake up in your living room without a scratch anyways. So what's the big deal?"
Because this isn't a dream, you idiot, Kyon thought, how's she even still conscious after doing that?
"Okay, just… let's find the rest of the Brigade," Kyon replied, marching alongside her. "But yeah, you're probably right. They have to be somewhere near that gas thing."
"It would be better if the real Kyon agreed with me like that too." Haruhi declared, the blood in her face and clothes disappearing as rain washed it away. "It's time for the Brigade leader to fill in her shoes."