A/N: The contents of this chapter are not finalised and are subject to changes. Maybe.

Morning routine is horrible. I think it's horrible for most people actually. Waking up too late and still not wanting to get up. Barely having time to have breakfast or brushing teeth. Making the mandatory march up the hill. By the time I get to my seat I'd have already expended all the energy I'd spent my sleep regenerating. I plod my bag down and slouch in my chair.

Why does the morning have to come in the morning? I think to myself. A reasonable complaint I'd say. It'd be more expedient if morning came in the afternoon. Or if it didn't come at all.

"Look at you, Mr Popular," Taniguchi jests, leaning against a nearby desk. "Still tired from yesterday I see. If I was uncertain before, I'm certain now, you definitely found yourself a girlfriend."

I roll my eyes and shrug. I'm normally this tired in the morning anyway so Taniguchi's joke of an accusation has no base, therefore deserves no rebuttal.

Kunikida, who comes out from behind Taniguchi, asks, "So could you tell us what you were doing last afternoon? I remember you mentioning sometime before that you wanted to join a club right?"

"Yeah."

Naturally, Kunikida's next question is "What club did you join?"

"He joined the literature club," called a sweet, enchanting voice, answering in my stead. Asakura, who has revealed herself to have been eavesdropping on our conversation, joins our (semi)circle. You know it's rude to eavesdrop right? Not exactly the sort of role modeling a class representative should be doing.

She laughs at my comment and handwaving it aside. "As the class representative I should be concerned with the situations of the classmates I represent, shouldn't I?"

Touché. So care to explain how you found out that I joined the literature club only two days after I joined and before I had even told my two friends here?

"Oh, I found out from Nagato-san. She and I are practically neighbours, and fairly close friends."

I take a moment to think about it; somehow, Asakura and Nagato do certainly seem like they'd be on good terms. Both of them seem to be perfect to an unnatural degree in their own ways; flawless, but not conceited.

"I also hear that Suzumiya-san also joined the club," Asakura continued. "And that she's been helping Nagato-san recruit more members."

Either you're misinterpreting the story Nagato told you or she's outright lying. I might as well clear up this misunderstanding here and now.

"Suzumiya somehow got the idea of making her own club, and she's just doing it in the same room as the literature club," I say.

Taniguchi comments, "Yeah, that's Haruhi for you."

Asakura makes an expression as though processing the information a bit. "I suppose that explains why Nagato-san seemed a little worried about Suzumiya-san's presence. And here I thought that Suzumiya-san was finally adapting to high school life."

"Well she isn't, and it's quite off putting." I pause before I decide to add, "I'm actually thinking I might just drop the literature club with her around."

"That's a pity," Asakura says, shaking her head in disappointment. "Nagato-san seemed quite excited when she told me that you joined."

I see Taniguchi turn to me and whisper 'player' with a grin. Again I roll my eyes, listening to Asakura continue.

"Besides. Maybe Suzumiya-san will adjust eventually." She turned and started to walk off, but she glanced back with a charming smile as she tacked on, "And it might help you adjust too."

Her last comment made me want to say something, though I wasn't sure what. By the time I opened my mouth Suzumiya had entered the room, automatically adjourning the little meeting.

I suppose I should go back to sleep anyway. I close my eyes and drift into slumber as Suzumiya talks in my direction. Has she not caught onto the fact that I'm ignoring her?

The following days involved the literature clubroom becoming increasingly cramped. The three girls each had a knack for bringing in their own wacky additions to the room.

For instance; one day Suzumiya suddenly declared "We need a computer!"

It was a ridiculous thing to announce all of a sudden, considering Nagato had already mentioned to me several times that she had been planning to buy a computer. Indeed, after looking up from her science book and doing her signature pause for thought the literature club president said, "Yes, I have been planning to purchase one with club funds, but I..."

Suzumiya cut her off with a joyous smile and her palm against the desk. "Yeah, but all that talk and we still don't have a computer! We need a computer right at this moment!"

Since the moment you said that just passed and the world has not ended your statement appears to be false.

Asahina, talking half to herself and half to the rest of us, said, "Hmm... I don't really understand a need for computers."

"Of course we need a computer! It's the digital age!" Suzumiya 'explained'.

I hear Asahina joke out loud to herself "Really? And here I thought it was the bronze age..." At least... I think she was joking. Nagato seemed to pause in shock before smiling wryly at the comment, so evidently she found it to be a joke.

Either she didn't hear the comment, chose to ignore it, or disapproved, Suzumiya plowed on with her case. "Look, we're going to obtain a computer now! Come with me!"

Asahina gleefully complied as though she were invited on a field trip. "Ooh? Are we going to the electronic store?"

"Of course not! That's too far away! There's somewhere way closer!" Suzumiya said.

The two marched proudly out of the room to ruin somebody's day.

Nagato, after flipping a page of her book and adjusting her glasses, opens her mouth to let out her words of wisdom.

"I know you don't like to associate with Suzumiya-san," an accurate observation, "but I'm slightly worried as to what those two will be doing."

So what? You want me to follow them? No thanks. I like to keep a low profile, and being seen with Suzumiya is the opposite of keeping a low profile.

"You know, if Suzumiya does something terrible your infamy will go up with hers." The girl closes her book. "I'd follow them myself, but Suzumiya-san tends to not listen to what I say."

You seem to assume that she listens to what I say. Still, I see Nagato's point, and she's probably going to keep pestering me about it until I agree. At least she's asking nicely.

I stand up. "Very well. I'll go have a look."

Nagato bows her head in gratitude, saying "Thank you, vice president," as I leave.

I step out into the hallway and glance to my left and right. Suzumiya said it was close by after all. I remembered a computer club around here when I was first contemplating what clubs to join. Seeing the club label two rooms from our own I make my way towards it.

Sure enough, glancing through the open door I see Suzumiya and Asahina on the inside, with four male students looking completely baffled.

Immediately upon seeing me Suzumiya shoves a camera into my hands. "Kyon! What took you so long!?" she said, though she still seemed more elated than angry. "Never mind! We're almost finished here anyway! Hold onto that camera! It holds all the evidence!"

I suppose to understand the context of the situation I need to take a second glance at the room.

One of the older guys in the room has already collapsed onto his knees and is looking at me like I was his executioner. Asahina was smiling, satisfied with whatever it was that she had been doing before, and was adjusting her clothes. I look at some of the photos in the camera memory and my mouth drops.

If I didn't know Suzumiya and Asahina as well as I did I would've thought just by looking at these pictures that the young men in this room had tried to have their way with Asahina. And now these girls are going to take advantage of these pictures to have their way with these poor boys. Typical blackmailing tactics.

The one on his knees on the ground, who I'm guessing is the computer club president, shakily asks, "Who are you...? Are you with them?"

"Hmm...? Oh, I'm the literature club vice president," I say, hoping that it would dissociate me from the two girls. However, the computer club president's face becomes even more dread filled than before.

"Darn...! So you're the boss..." he says. "And I was hoping our reinforcements had arrived..."

Boss? What do you mean?

Pointing at Suzumiya and Asahina, and then at me, he curses. "You... all you people from the literature club... Luddites! Picking on the new to conserve the old ways!" He starts making wild claims on how our 'paper fortresses' will inevitably crumble to make way for the future or something, while his fellow computer club members try to calm him down lest they incur my wrath.

I turn to Asahina, asking, "You guys told them you're from the literature club?"

She smiled with more innocence than I would've thought humanly possible. "I am though, aren't I? I joined the other day. Besides, they didn't get it when we told them we were from the SOS brigade."

Nagato is not going to be happy that her club name is being used as the banner of chaos.

Suzumiya, pulling out a piece of paper, walks around the room before stopping at one of the flashier looking computers. "This one!" she says.

"No! We just bought that one! We saved for months to buy that!"

As Suzumiya tugged at the wires and cables and as the computer club members pleaded I decided to do them a favour, and erased all the photos on the camera.

"We don't really need the newest model, do we?" I ask Suzumiya. "I mean, these guys can do better work with these computers than we could."

"No, Haru-chan is right," Asahina says. "That's definitely the one."

And my attempt to compromise is immediately terminated. I suppose that's what I get for trying.

Having had enough I report back to the literature club president.

Not long after I begin to explain things, Suzumiya had hauled the stolen computer over, and had even brought over the whole computer club, ordering them to set the computer up and install internet cables from their room to ours so we could leech off of their internet. Throughout all this Asahina kept watching the boys work, teasing and asking insultingly simple questions about the computer club or computers in general. After being brought up to speed Nagato kept apologising for the misconduct, bowing and repeatedly promising that it would never happen again; though she said nothing about giving the computer back, nor paying for it, since it was above her budget.

This ends up becoming almost routine.

Suzumiya keeps coming up with new ideas, Asahina helps get the idea working, and Nagato gives her approval through lack of disapproval. Add on the fact that Nagato brings in furniture for 'club activities' and Asahina bringing in things on the basis that we 'might need it later', the once relatively spacious and empty clubroom starts to feel suffocating.

And the above continues to apply to Suzumiya's press-ganging of a new member.

As usual, by the time I got to the clubroom that day Nagato was already sitting in her usual position, reading; more like a painted figure on a vase than an actual girl. I plonked myself into my own seat and started glancing at the books on the shelf.

Asahina later walked in and excitedly pulled out a brand new box of Othello and placed it onto the desk, setting it up and glancing up at us with an obvious invitation to join her. I recall having had an Othello board at home. I think I probably left it in my sister's room from the last time I played it with her years ago.

"I don't recall Othello being a literature activity," I said. Not that I was against it or anything.

Asahina tutted, "That's where you're wrong. I actually read about this game in a book the other day, which makes this a literature activity by extension. Anyway, I thought it seemed really interesting so I went and bought a set." She said the last bit looking up at me, evidently trying to press me into playing with her.

So be it. It's not like I have anything better to do.

"Well I'll go first then," I say, "since you just bought the set, and probably don't know the rules yet."

Putting down one of my pieces onto the board with a 'smack', and flip one of her pieces.

Upon seeing this, Asahina's face suddenly goes from a bright smile of excitement to a gaping mouth of confusion.

"Eh...? What? But..." she keeps stuttering. "That's not how the book said this game was played."

Well this is how Othello is actually played.

"Really? Are you sure? Maybe the book was old and the rules changed..."

Maybe. Othello was originally based off of the late 19th century game Reversi with the modern international version of Othello being invented in Ibaraki in the 1970s. I don't think the rules should've changed that much though.

Asahina continued to try and justify her own position. "Well, maybe different places have different rules for this game. A lot of long lasting board games have different rules per region."

Yes, except this game has an international standard, and this version is based on the international standard.

Asahina pouts, scratching her curled hair, trying to think of a way to keep herself in the debate. "Then the book I read was based on the national standard."

Didn't I say earlier that the international version was based on the rules invented in Ibaraki?

"That's stupid," Asahina crossed her arms, displeased that I wasn't letting her have her way.

Around this time I notice that Nagato had stopped reading her book and has been watching the two of us argue about the rules of Othello for a while now.

"Is there something you aren't telling us?" I ask.

Nagato flashes one of her fleeting, amused smiles. "Go," she said. "She asked about an ancient game with black and white pieces, so I lent her a book on Go."

Ah. I see the confusion.

Asahina, glancing to and fro, not having caught on, asks, "Hmm? What are you talking about? This is the game with the black and white pieces isn't it?"

Before Nagato or I could properly enlighten Asahina, the door slammed open.

"Hey guys! Sorry for the wait!"

Suzumiya greeted us as she pulled in a male student by the sleeve.

"This is today's new mysterious transfer student, and fifth member of the SOS brigade! His name is..."

Suzumiya stopped, and glanced at him with a 'this is your cue' look.

The poor boy stood there, flabbergasted and lost. Awkwardly, he bowed.

"Err... I'm K... Koizumi..." he murmurs. "Itsuki... First Year Ninth Class..."

'Mysterious' by what standards? This guy looks like a pretty normal person to me.

Straightening up, looking at his shoes, he continued to stutter. "I only just transferred this morning... so I haven't made any friends yet... so erm..." he takes a deep breath, bowing again. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Immediately after he finished, Suzumiya patted Koizumi on the back several times, with Koizumi shuddering considerably with each blow. "Very good Koizumi-kun," she says, like a teacher praising an introverted child for introducing themselves. Somehow, I feel like that's exactly what just happened.

Koizumi is a lean person, with a handsome looking face and fairly stylish hairstyle. His uniform is in prime condition, and he speaks politely enough, giving an overall feel of a well brought up gentleman-to-be. Unfortunately, he has a noticeable slouch, and has thus far avoided eye contact. If he had just a smidgeon of confidence he'd be flawless; maybe like a male version of Asakura.

"This is the SOS Brigade club room. I'm the Brigade chief, Suzumiya Haruhi, and these are my suboordinates one, two, and three."

In your dreams.

Koizumi, somehow more lost and confused than before, churns out, "Wait... I thought..." he takes a step out of the room to look at the label. "Isn't this the literature club room...?"

"I know right? I keep wanting to replace that label to avoid future confusion, but Yuki-chan and Kyon won't let me!"

"Because this is actually the literature club room," I mutter.

Koizumi, still in confusion, looks at the rest of us for the first time. As he does so, his mouth drops and eyes widen in realisation of... something. I'm not sure. What is it that he's realising?

Asahina, upon making eye contact with Koizumi, immediately smiles and waves cheerfully. "Hey Itsuki-chan," she says, beckoning him over to the chair next to him. "Welcome to the clubroom."

When did you get on first name basis with this guy?

Awkwardly, Koizumi bows his head, though he doesn't yet walk over to the chair that Asahina has designated for him. "H... hello... Asahina-senpai..."

Suzumiya looks from Koizumi to Asahina and back, just as perplexed as I am. "Oh? You two have met each other?"

The response was a mixture of a confident "Yes" from Asahina, and a "Not really" from Koizumi (who's voice quietly drifts into some odd explanation about how they know each other).

Well these introductions are going smoothly aren't they?

Next, Koizumi turns to look at Nagato, whom he stares at in... fear? It's like he's expecting her to jump up and attack him or something.

For a moment, the two stare at each other in silence.

Nagato, standing up from her chair, bows at him. "We haven't met yet. I'm Nagato Yuki, the president of the literature club. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Koizumi awkwardly bows in return after a mirroring pause (does he pause as much as Nagato does? Is pausing before speaking a new trend I missed?), "Yes... pleased to meet you too..." he says, still eying her nervously, before adding, "Weren't you from..."

Suddenly interrupting (and for once, not pausing before speaking), Nagato says "No. You must've mistaken me for someone else."

A heavy silence ensues, with Nagato staring daggers into Koizumi's eyes. The poor boy nearly collapses on the spot.

Breaking the two from their deadlock Asahina pulls Koizumi down to the seat she has been trying to get him to sit in since he first arrived.

"Don't worry, she'll warm up to you in a few months," she says knowingly.

Nagato. Asahina. Koizumi. The way they acted just now... there is definitely history between the three of them. Bad history.

Theoretically, my turn for introduction should be next. However, Suzumiya with her uncanny knack for interrupting things, drops her bag on the desk (and Othello board) between us.

"Right! Now that introductions are in order we need to move on to the next thing on the agenda!" Suzumiya declares. "Handing out flyers!"

Knowing Suzumiya, 'handing out flyers' will most likely involve some sort of attention magnet. With that knowledge I take it as a signal to get up and leave and am swift to do so.

"Where are you going!? You're going to miss the best part!" Suzumiya demands. "Fine, stay out there then. It'll be a surprise for you."

Ignoring her, I close the door to the clubroom as I head out. Only moments afterwards it opens again and Koizumi follows me into the hallway.

"Hey," he calls out to me, forcing on a polite smile. He still needs a bit of practice with his posture though. "Err... we haven't been introduced yet. K... Kyon was it?"

I shrug. "Just about everyone in the school calls me that. I suppose adding you to the list won't hurt. "

He nods. Looking back at the 'literature club' sign he begins to ask, "So... this is actually the literature club then...?"

"Yeah. Any interest in joining?"

I only meant it as an offhand comment but Koizumi starts to serious contemplate it.

"Maybe..." he says, after a fair while of thinking. "I don't really read... and I definitely don't write... but..." he gives a broken, genuine smile. "I... have a feeling that I should join... yeah."

"You sure?" I ask. "I mean, with Suzumiya attempting whatever it is she's doing it may be quite a hassle. " It's already a hassle to me.

Koizumi shakes his head, smiling a bit more confident now. "Somehow I think that won't be a problem. So... I'll definitely be joining."

From the fifteen minutes I've known this guy it must've taken a lot of resolve to convince himself to join. Though... I think his relation to Nagato and Asahina were probably factors in his joining.

"Oh, they were part of my consideration, but so were you and Suzumiya. I have a feeling that all of us will be closely tied in the future," Koizumi says, somehow reading my thoughts.

Really? Well what if I drop the club? I've been seriously considering it.

Again, answering the thoughts in my mind, Koizumi says, "I really think you should stick around. I mean... it's not easy to make new friends in a new school. It's a good change of pace for you."

I don't exactly see going at Suzumiya's pace as healthy.

Koizumi gives off a weak chuckle. "I suppose not... but if it weren't for her I wouldn't have been brought to this club in the first place. I'm certain the universe has everything planned out. I'm just really glad that I've been able to join into an existing group of friends so quickly after I've transferred."

In the time Koizumi and I stood there talking Suzumiya must've finished whatever 'surprise' she had planned for the flyer handing. The door swung open by her hand once again. And surprised we were. Both Koizumi and I looked in bafflement; one could hear Koizumi eating his own words.

"Tada!" Suzumiya said with her beaming grin. "What do you think?"

"It's a little tight around the chest," Asahina comments, doing a little twirl, "but it's kind of cute."

Nagato merely sat in her chair with an expression not too different from Koizumi's... and probably mine.

There stood Suzumiya and Asahina, two incredibly beautiful bunny girls. Much of their cleavage and backs and arms exposed, net stockings around their legs, and bunny ears on their heads... the outfit would suit them perfectly if not for the fact that it's completely wrong.

"With these outfits we'll be able to get all the flyers distributed in no time!" Grabbing the flyers on the table Suzumiya marched right past Koizumi and me. "Come on, Mikuru-chan!"

"Okay!" Asahina skipped after her like she was going following Suzumiya to go get Halloween candy. Amazing, considering they were wearing high heels as well.

Stunned silence once again.

"So," I turn to Koizumi. "Glad to make new friends, huh?"

Koizumi said nothing. He could only continue staring at the remains of the scene in shell shock. By 'remains' I mean the clothes of the two girls on the floor.

Nagato, having recovered from her initial shock, kneels down from her chair, picking up the pieces of clothing and folding them neatly. Kind of like how my mother would fold dried clothes.

"It was all so... barbaric. What is human civilisation coming to? " she shook her head in disbelief of the situation still. "Vice president? Could you please try and stop them before things escalate?"

Yeah. The last time I tried they ended up taking a computer and I was accused of being their accomplice. Sorry Nagato, I'm out.

In fact, since their reputation will likely soar by the end of the week, I'm going to try and distance myself from those two as much as possible so I'll be dropping the literature club from today onwards.

Nagato immediately dropped the brassier she was holding and turned to look at me. Koizumi did much the same.

Nagato was definitely taking her pause before trying to talk me out of it, but I head out the door before she's finished her processing.

I walk right by Koizumi, who was too nervous to try and stop me.

I make my way down the hallway and out to the gate. There was a large crowd at the gate by the time I got there, all trying to see the two bunny girls handing out flyers. Shoving my way past the crowd, I do my best to tune it all out.

However, my attempts to ignore the situation become difficult as I notice that more and more eyes start staring in my direction. Judging. Picking me out as different from them.

"Kyon-chan, wait up."

And my attempt to dissociate myself from the bunny girl situation shatters.

Sigh. I hate you all. Go to hell. Why me? Why now? Why do I bother? Why does anyone bother? Just jump in a ditch, all of you.

"Kyon-chan!"

I feel a hand on my shoulder. Grudgingly, I turn to face Asahina in her bright red, revealing outfit.

"Are you okay?" she asks quite concernedly. "You seem out of it today... more than usual ."

"It's nothing," I lie. Asahina can tell I'm lying I'm sure, but I don't care. I just want out.

Thankfully, Asahina doesn't press. I think it's the fact that she is, in the end, an upperclassman; an extra year of maturity counts for a lot. That and the fact that she has thus far shown to know things she shouldn't.

So has Nagato and Koizumi. And now that I think of it, Asakura too.

"Okay, but before you go I have something for you." Asahina reaches into the bag of flyers she has on her shoulder.

"I don't really need a flyer..." I begin to say, but then I notice that she isn't pulling out a flyer. Instead, she gives me a...

A bookmark?

I flip it over a few times. There were abstract patterns on both sides... like a child's attempt at writing, mixed with geometrical shapes. Not exactly the type of bookmark I'd expect people to give me, but alright. I don't get why though. Is this a literature club thing? I haven't told Asahina that I quit yet, have I?

"Think of it as a good luck charm," she says with a wink. "You might understand by the evening."

"Hey! Let go of me!" I hear Suzumiya cry. Looking over in her direction I see that the teachers had arrived to try and put an end to her folly.

"Looks like I have to go. See you later," Asahina says as she trots happily to Suzumiya and the teachers.

Leaving just me and the bookmark. And what felt like a thousand pairs of eyes, looking at me. Mocking. Jeering.

Putting the bookmark in my pocket I lower my head, and force my way through the crowd. Down the hill, back to my home.

I sat on my bed with nothing much to do. I'd ended the day earlier than I planned, although 'planned' is too strong a word.

By the time I'd gotten back I was greeted by pure silence, as I often am. I tried studying but there is a surprising limit to the amount that a person can study before running out. I then tried to read on of Nagato's books that she'd lent me but they were all non-fiction books, and it felt no different from studying. I'd long finished the few fiction books she'd given me, which were all classic science fiction novellas.

I really need to give her back all those books. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow. It means I'll have to go to the clubroom one last time. On the other hand, I don't think Nagato would mind too much if I don't give these books back.

And so I sit there, staring at my ceiling in silence. Everyone else in the house was out for reasons I'd forgotten... they told me something about it in the morning. Something about my sister, maybe.

I reach into my pocket and pull out the bookmark that Asahina gave me.

"You might understand by the evening," was what she said. Glancing at the time and noting the lack of light in my room, it was already evening. In fact, I should've had dinner two hour ago.

As I think about all the food that I could've but didn't cook I suddenly hear my cell phone ringing.

Huh? My parents would just call the landline...

Picking up the phone I look at the number and the name of the contact. I squint for a while due to the room that is ill lit save for the stars and moon and the light off of the phone itself. After making out the characters, though, I suddenly feel my heart skip a beat.

On the phone, in capital Latin letters, was the name, "KOIZUMI".

Ignoring the fact that I had never given him my phone number... after all, maybe he asked the school or some of my friends for my number... no... what frightened me was how his name was on my contacts list that it would show up with his name when he called.

I hesitate. Part of my mind falls into childish, primal fear; what if this is the start of a horror story? It asks. But hanging up might just make it worse. Caught between fear of picking up, and hanging up, I suppress my emotions with the best of my rational thought, and answer.

"Hello? Koizumi? Is that you?"

"Ah... Kyon, it is you..." he says with a sigh of relief. "It's... it's the strangest thing you know...? I don't think you'd believe me if I told you..."

He lets out a nervous chuckle.

"Try me," I say.

Realising that neither one of us is actually joking Koizumi's laughter cuts off. "Right... well... the thing is... I was looking through the contacts in my phone... I don't know why, I just felt like I should check... and then suddenly I see your 'Kyon' written at the bottom of the list, so I wanted to check if it was you. Turns out it actually was."

"Yeah... same here..." I murmur.

Just what on Earth is going on here?

"Hey, Kyon..." Koizumi says, his voice suddenly low and quiet... and a lot more serious. "This might sound... strange... but I think... you'll understand when you see it..."

'I'll understand'. Just like Asahina said I'd 'understand' in the evening.

There is definitely something up here. Part of me wants nothing to do with any of this. The other part of me wants to tell Koizumi to hurry the hell up and tell me what it is. Everyone seems to be in some sort of secret circle and I'm locked out of the loop.

After a painfully long pause, significantly more dreadful than the ones Nagato has, Koizumi says. "Look at the sky."

Once again I hesitate. My subconscious mind screams don't. Do not look outside. Whatever you do, do not look outside, or it's all over. And yet my head ends up turning to the window, and my eyes trace towards the sky.

Then I see it. It hits me. The weather. Storm clouds with no rain, strong wind... and through the clouds I see a shooting star.

It was exactly like that day... that day three years ago.

Dropping my phone and dragging my coat onto my body, shoving the bookmark into a pocket, I rush down the stairs, step into my shoes and grab my bicycle.

"Why!?" I ask out loud. "Why!? Why!? Why!? Why!? WHY!? WHY!?"

I cycle as fast as my legs can move, ignoring the burning pain with each pedal, ignoring the difficulty of getting up and down hills. I go as fast as I can to the center of the storm, accelerated by the wind blowing in that very direction. The trees rustling, bending like they're kowtowing toward the storm.

It's all coming back! It's all coming back! It is exactly like that day!

I zoom past several people and cars before I make my way near the train station. Near the centre of the storm was a park, mostly walled off.

In my haste to turn towards the park mixed with the strong winds I fall off my bicycle. Quickly I pick myself up and keep rushing towards the park. While I would otherwise first find a place to lock up my bicycle I really didn't care this one time. It can wait! I say to myself. Even if I lose my bicycle... this is more important!

I finally enter the park and slow down, my legs being able to carry me no further. My muscles cry to me for rest, my chest thumps, and my lungs plead for oxygen as they spew carbon dioxide. Barely able to stand or see, with all the wind swirling towards the clouds above me; the sounds of nearby leaves thrown violently across the air, branches snapping off, mixing into what sounded like the sky ripping itself apart.

"Kyon!" I hear a familiar voice of a young woman; the one most likely to join me to a location like this. "You're here too!?"

I turn to look at Suzumiya. Hair flailing wildly from the wind. Her face was that of the fullest joy, like she had finally found an alien.

"What do you think it is!?" she asks me, looking up at the centre of the storm; a swirling vortex of smoke and cloud. "It can't be a natural storm, can it!?"

I pant, unable to answer yet, completely short of breath. I cast my gaze down for a moment to see another figure in the distance, directly below the centre of the vortex. It too, was looking up, but the figure was facing away from us, so I couldn't see their face.

"Hey Kyon!" Suzumiya shouts, pointing at the figure. "Is... do you think that's...!?"

There's no doubt about it. I say to myself. I'll recognise that perfect and serene posture anywhere.

Then, there is loud, booming deep bellowing noise from above... like the heavens had finally found itself a voice for the first time.

"ULLA!" it howled; a long, drawn out sound. So loud that the ground below me shook. It was a strange noise, so foreign, I can't describe it. Perhaps you could say it was like a deep, low siren running up and down the scale. Mix that together with a foghorn and you would get a sound vaguely similar to what I just heard. The grandness of the sound and the signals it sent to me filled me with dread and terror, more than I would feel normally. Yet, despite the volume, my ears felt no pain. I looked up at the sky, seeking out the source of the noise. "ULLA!"

"What is it Kyon? What are you looking for?" Suzumiya asks, turning to me, not at all reflecting my terror.

What? Can't she hear it? The noise! It's so loud!

"ULLA!"

"What noise? What is it Kyon!? Tell me!"

I couldn't bring myself to say anything, or to even look down at Suzumiya. I could only look up at the sky, entranced by the magnificent monstrosity of the situation.

A flash. Almost like lightning...

And then... I saw it. The clouds began to disappear, with glistening like a running river evaporating. Through the clouds I began to see the night sky, or so I thought at first. Lights, blinking, shimmering, against a sky of blackish blue. Then more lights began to appear. Soon the lights begin to turn on and off in definite patterns rather than random, aimless flickering. The black surface above me began to take shape, and my eyes took it all in at once in horror.

"ULLA!" It continued to boom. "ULLA!"

It was about the size of a cruise ship in diameter and floated at most a hundred meters above us, and I swear it was getting closer. Shaped like a perfect circular disk shape above us with lights and emitting smoke and noise.

It was a UFO.

"What is it!?" Suzumiya began to yell at me, not at all looking up at the sky. "What do you see!? Tell me! I order you!"

She can't see it. Of all people, she can't see it. And I can. After all that has happened... why now? WHY NOW!?

The centre of the UFO opens up; a small circle in the middle of the larger one, a tiny pupil opening up in the iris, letting out a faint beam of light that shone perfectly below it at the figure in the distance that stood there, lighting the figure up amidst the darkness of the night.

The figure... Nagato... she then turned slowly to look at us... rotating on the spot without moving her feet or any part of her body. She looked at us with not the graceful, ladylike face of the literature club president, no. She looked at us with cold eyes... envious eyes. Through her eyes I caught a glimpse into her mind...

A mind far greater than our own; capable of beating the sum total of humanity combined on its own... a mind vast... and cool... and unsympathetic. She watches us the way humans scientists would watch microorganisms breed and multiply in a drop of water. That was all we were to her. Microorganisms; barely even animate, such primitive forms of life.

Nagato... the girl... she reached into her pocket, and pulled out what seemed to be a hand held mirror. But she didn't turn it to herself; instead, she turned it slowly and surely towards us, the faint light of the beam above her reflecting off the mirror as she does so.

"Oh NO!" I immediately turn to run but I'm too late. The invisible streaks of light off the mirror have all but caught up to me. With what little time I have left I wrap my arms around Suzumiya, and cover her with my body.

"Wha... WHAT ARE YOU D...!?"

I don't hear her finish though, as I soon feel a feeling of burning against my back. Cold... like ice burns... but colder.

I'm going to die here. Goodbye.

A/N: I quite like this chapter. Because this is where things start to evidently go off the canon rails. This means that we are finally past the 'introduction' and in the 'actual story' part.

I've got a lot of ideas in my mind right now which I don't have time to write down, but also a lot of gaps. Hoping I'll be able to fill those as I go along.

By the way, I do intend to eventually merge the different parts of chapter 1 into a larger, singular chapter, but I've so far written them piecemeal, because it's easier to post updates this way.