The Very Exciting Authors' Note!
Cha-Cha: Hey hey hey, guys! I am very excited to announce that we're 100% on the second chapter! And we had four more reviews since last time! Thank you so much! 3 I'd have given up on this by now if it weren't for you guys!
Now, it's time for the reviewing corner… I'm going to reply to everyone's reviews!
superstarultra, Prologue: I'm glad you like the action in this chapter! And I'm also really happy you enjoyed it and read it! It means a lot that you took your time to read our fanfic, as we aren't the most popular of fic writers out there… Don't worry. Hopefully the others will come in soon… Hopefully…
superstarultra, chapter 1: I'm glad the OCs didn't scare you away XD I generally am quite proud at how smoothly things went in chapter one… I'm definitely going to have them doing things just the two of them a lot as well as all the other OCs getting involved because I think they need to spend a lot of time together for the plot to unfold. Again, thank you for reading it! And yes, Itsuki is going to be VERY main for now XD
aprilfool1993, chapter 1: Don't worry, Kazue will be a lot happier this chapter, promise! And yes, in answer to your half-question, it originally took place before Rikuto was born, so everyone knows about the existence of aliens, time-travellers, ESPers and sliders by now. :D I'll do my best to make Momoka way more badass than she looks at the moment, but badass wasn't really how she was described. More… anti-social. But yeah, I'll do my best to keep the OCs in character! Kazue luuuuuves you XD She'll be giving you plenty more hugs in future :3
Drake Nolsa, chapter 1: Thanks, we'll write more, don't worry! :D
Kazue: *hugs aprilfool1993, superstarultra and Drake Nolsa* I luuuuuuuve new people!
Cha-Cha: Kazue, you can't just go around hugging people! I've already told you once!
Momoka: …*steals her headphones back from Itsuki, who didn't give them back after the end of the first chapter*
Mugi: Oh yes! We forgot to mention! We got four more OCs to join us! :D Say hello to Takeo Suzumiya, Hiroyuki Vessalius, Dango Yowaki and Jack "Snake" Lesser!
Takeo: Hey, guys. You might know me from superstar ultra's fanfic, You Got HaruhiRolled! I was created by Mr Wang 330, and, although you may or may not have already noticed, I am Haruhi and Kyon's son. I'll give you more information about my family/relationship with them and others in later chapters… or you can just go check out the forum and post your own OC, or look at my master's profile?
Hiro: Hi! I was created by Kyon-Is-Haruhi's-Slave00, and I am a normal-ish human. I am tall, very tall, and my hair will NEVER stay straight. I have my moments of being deep and everything, but everyone prefers my happy and joker side.
Rikuto *mumbling* I don't know, he sounds kinda dodgy…
Hiro: What was that?
Dango: Hey, I was created by Yowaki, and I'm a medium. Ya know. Something different. Like, I can predict stuff, and all the cool jazz mediums do. I'm super happy I got picked :D I beat my room-mate, Soriyu. Hah.
Jack: Hi, everybody! I was created by Drake Nolsa, and I have a lot to say about myself. I am an ESPer, therefore I can use all the coolest ESP, and I was trapped in a parallel universe for three years. I was taught almost everything there is to know involving physical and mental strength, and I am definitely against the aliens.
Itsuki: Have you ever noticed how similar we are? I mean, we seem to have similar personalities… maybe you're my son, instead of Rikuto.
Rikuto: Dad!
Cha-Cha: Anyway, if you wanna stop by our forum and check out their profiles or create an OC yourself, go right on ahead! You're practically guaranteed a place in Silence! Plus you can learn some things that aren't mentioned in the chapters, and so on. Also, please leave a review to say what you despised or enjoyed about this chapter!
Mugi: And I still get no more than two lines?
Cha-Cha: Equivalent exchange, bitch!
XXX
Silence
After plenty of reasoning and finding seven more time-travellers, today came to a close. I was grateful. It was painful to be out there all day when I could've been watching TV or something.
I kept sneaking glances at Rikuto, who was talking to the new girl. Then I looked up at his dad, who was walking a few feet behind us. Those two really do look similar. Rikuto has caramel-blonde hair, rather than Kazue's thick black hair, but he does have her eyes, greener than green.
I remembered when I was really young, eleven, and I thought that I was going to marry him, but by the time I'd made it to thirteen I'd realised that he'd obviously marry somebody else, so if I kept that idea in my head it would only be harder for me afterwards. I wouldn't dream of marrying him now. He's just so… annoying.
"So, Koizumi, that treat you mentioned earlier…" I began. Rikuto stopped talking and grinned.
"Yeah, Dad, you promised us we could pick out anything we wanted for supper. Remember?"
He nodded, laughing. "You two! Okay, okay, we're near the convenience store now, so you two can go in and get something. Here's some money." He fished around in his pocket and handed us 1076 yen (A/N: that's almost 13 dollars). "Bring me some change though."
"Got it!" Rikuto got given the money, but we went together. Typical. Koizumi obviously doesn't trust me with money. Momoka stayed behind with Koizumi while we took a trip to the convenience store.
"So, what do you think of Momoka?" Rikuto asked brightly, as we walked down the street. I blew a raspberry.
"You sound awfully cheerful, considering she called you short," I said. He shrugged.
"She's so… cute, though. If you get what I'm saying. She's fourteen! So young, and everything!" He sighed. "I remember when we were that difficult age…"
"Yeah, you were all zitty and thought that your wisecracks were funny," I said, reliving memories of him trying to make me laugh using his worst jokes and expressions.
"And you were constantly moody and hard to get along with," he retorted. Then he stroked his chin. "Wait a sec - that's you now."
"That's mean and totally uncalled for!" I snapped. "Anyway, what should we have for supper?" By now we'd reached the convenience store.
"How about pizza? Something western," Rikuto mused, heading straight to the frozen section.
"Hmm… What kind of pizza do we both like?" I asked, looking at the different types.
"How about margarita on deep-pan?" he suggested. I nodded.
"Okay. Now go pay for it." He took the pizza off me and went over to the cash register to buy it. I skipped over to the sweet section and looked around, keeping a low profile. I was taught it when I was younger anyway so I had gotten good at it. I knew if an alien walked in here I would be erased before I'd even had the chance to say "Open Sesame".
That said, why would I say "Open Sesame" in the first place?
"Heeey!" about a minute later Rikuto approached me with a plastic bag. I peered inside it. Along with the pizza, Rikuto had bought some spearmint chewing gum. Sweet gesture.
"Thanks. Now lets go." I steered him to the front door, taking some chewing gum out of the back and popping it in my mouth. At once the taste exploded in my mouth and I closed my eyes, peacefully - spearmint gum is my all-time favourite food (if gum even counts as a food). He sure knows how to treat a girl.
"Hey, do you ever wish we could go to school like your dad used to?" I asked Rikuto. He nodded.
"Of course. Most days, really. I wish, for once, we could maybe live a normal life or something, where we wouldn't have to worry about having our heads blown off and losing people we love to the freaking aliens. Maybe we could ask Mikuru about it. If we reason with her, she could always take us back in time so we could see what it was like to go to school normally and be a regular high school student. I can't even do stuff that we were supposed to be educated on, like write essays or do long division, or work out a scientific formula. All I know is how to fire a gun, or how to knock a guy out using only my thumb on his Adam's Apple, and all the stuff kids like us shouldn't learn. Sometimes I agree with my mom. This is all stupid."
"Yeah." I stared at the floor. "I wish I had a mom." He grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly.
"You have my mom and dad, Hotaru. And you have me as well. We're your family."
XXX
"Thanks for the food!" I grinned, grabbing a slice of pizza. Rikuto was right behind me.
"Slow down, you two," laughed Koizumi, taking one himself. Kazue tucked into her salad rather than joining us (she's always on these weird diets, god knows how thin she wants to get), but a smile played on her lips.
"I'd forgotten the last time we'd eaten junk food for supper," I moaned, feeling fresh tears of joy in my eyes.
"Iss so good," mumbled Rikuto, mouth full.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Kazue said sternly, playing responsible adult for once. From the corner of my eye, I saw Momoka glaring at her empty plate. Well, she shouldn't have blamed the plate for the fact that she didn't like pizza.
"Er, Mikuru," I said, turning to the former time-traveller. She was sat next to me, and was trying to eat around the crust of her slice.
"Yes, Miss Hotaru?" she asked, smiling at me innocently.
"Me and Rikuto were wondering… is it possible for you to take us back in time so that we can see what school-life was like back when you used to go to North High?" I asked.
She shook her head miserably. "I'm sorry, but I can't. Not right now. The thing is, I can't make time-trips without a good reason. Because the other time-travellers are being escorted to different bases to keep them hidden, we're not together to decide on it. I really am sorry." She looked like a wounded puppy.
"N-No, it's okay! I'm sorry that I asked. I just didn't think people would make such a big deal over it." I bit into my pizza and chewed thoughtfully.
Well, what was I expecting? If Mikuru was detected using her TPDD then the Aliens would be onto her like hunters searching for a wild boar, or something like that (Koizumi's catchphrases rub off on you after time). Then she'd be captured again and probably tortured until she revealed where our new base was. I'm not entirely sure what that kind of torture would involve, though. Maybe they'd shave off her hair or something.
"That was great, thanks," I said, standing up. "Thank you for the meal. I'm heading up to my room."
"Okay then? Glad you enjoyed it," Koizumi said. Nodding, I left the room and made my way to my bedroom.
I like this base more than the last one. In the last base I had to share with Miss Mori and the other female fighters in the Agency in a dorm. But in this base, like Rikuto, I was allowed my own room.
Some of the other girls were green with envy. I bet they were wondering while me, an alien, got to have an awesome room all to myself, while they were stuck in the dorms like last time. That was pretty simple, wasn't it? I was practically a daughter to Koizumi and Kazue.
I opened the door to my room. It had red walls and a white carpet, and my bed had white sheets on them. Most think that white's a boring colour. I don't. I think that after red it's the most magical colour in the world.
Does it not remind anyone of snow? That's what I think, anyway. My bedroom was pretty messy, actually - my desk had loads of manga piled up on it, a few rough drawings and sketches of characters, my bed was unmade and had different shades of red pencils scattered on it.
I flopped down on my bed, humming to an American song I'd heard before by some band called the Black-Eyed Peas. No pop song could shake off the feeling of wanting to go back in time, though. I could've seen so many things.
And all my life, I'd wanted to wear a sailor uniform, but the Aliens weren't gracious enough to fashion me a sailor uniform when they created me, and it wasn't like I went to school anyway. If they were going to abandon me in that stupid base, they could've at least given me a cute outfit to wear rather than leaving me in a stupid operation gown. Just what in the heck was that all about, anyway?
Did I not deserve proper clothing, or something? Oh sure, treat me like a freaking farm animal, why don't you.
Muttering under my breath, I turned on my laptop and signed into MSN.
Almost instantly, I got an IM.
Sorry I'm Different says: Hotaruuuu~! Ur bk! I heard about the ambush u made on the SCD. Did u reli shoot that guy?
I cracked a smile. My good friend, Dango Yowaki, was staying at another base, so it was awesome that I could talk to her again. She's a medium, and can do all the cool medium stuff like predicting the future or whatever. It wasn't always right, because we make the future depending on our actions (which is why it's called predicting) but she got pretty ticked off whenever I pointed that out so I didn't bother anymore.
Firefly Girl says: Yh. It was awesome. You shoulda seen it. Blood everywhere. Riku luked away tho. Wimp.
Sorry I'm Different says: Ha! Maaaaan, I luv chu :3
Firefly Girl says: Mhm. Same ;)
Sorry I'm Different says: Ur a narcissist.
Firefly Girl says: I meant you, you dope :P
Sorry I'm Different says: So anyway, wat r u gonna do now? U've already freed the Time-Travellers, so there isn't much left 4 u 2 do.
Firefly Girl says: Beats me. But we had a new recruit. Her name's Momoka Murakami. She's a human but she's supposedly the toughest of the tough. I don't reli get it. She just sounds like she's talking big to me. Wat do you think?
It was a while before she sent a reply.
Sorry I'm Different says: I think you should give her a chance, Hotaru. She may not look it, but she's pretty fierce. I remember I once talked to her back when I was in her part of town. It was before I joined the Agency. She's pretty lonely, although she tries to look "don't-care"ish.
Firefly Girl says: Are you serious? She was teasing Rikuto about his height, and she was acting totally racist about me being an alien. I mean, sure, it's okay not to like the Sky Canopy Domain, but what about the other aliens? People like me? I don't reli feel like giving her a chance.
Sorry I'm Different says: Do it for me, Hotaru. Pleeeeease?
I frowned stubbornly and shut my laptop, angrily. I didn't see why I had to be friendly to a girl who wasn't even trying to talk to us. If she was willing to join the Agency, why wasn't she willing to communicate? Was she only in it for the fighting? If so, she should've just joined the Sliders instead. It sure would've saved us the trouble of trying to be nice.
I changed into my BlackRock Shooter pyjamas and sat up in my bed, reading a manga, trying to get into it. It wasn't working.
Frustrated and exhausted, I lay back on my bed and stared up at my posters and drawings stuck upon the wall.
"Damn you," I snarled to the picture of Haruhi Suzumiya stuck on my wall. She was the whole reason this war was caused. One of the Aliens from the Sky Canopy Domain stole Haruhi's daughter, hoping that it would cause a radical change to the world, and in Haruhi's anger she ended up destroying one of the puppet masters in the Sky Canopy Domain in such a way it was unable to revive it. Then that sparked off the war.
The Sky Canopy Domain blamed the ESPers and the Time-Travellers for not doing anything to calm her down, seeing as Mikuru Asahina and Rikuto's dad were close to her. Then the Sliders stuck their noses in and stood up for us, telling them to back off, and that it was one of their kind that stole Haruhi's daughter and provoked her in the first place.
And somehow, the whole world just fell apart. It was quite tragic to think that only years before, the whole world had been so silent and peaceful.
XXX
Cha-Cha: Argh! Explanation chapters! And there weren't many highlights in this chapter. =( Ah well. I hope that by chapter four there will be some more moments between them, and maybe Momoka will start warming up to them a bit.
Also, Dango made an appearance in this chapter, even if we didn't speak to her face-to-face. Hopefully at some point they'll meet up with her.
Mugi: We're really sorry that this took longer than expected to finish, but a load of wacky stuff happened that kind of side-tracked us. Like for instance, our gran got sick, and Cha-Cha got a brace, and we were busy watching Kuroshitsuji 2... Yeah. You get the picture.
Rikuto: I'm supposed to be the main character, and I barely featured this episode! Just because this chapter was from Hotaru's POV doesn't mean you had to just abandon me!
Cha-Cha: Don't be so selfish! You aren't the only character in this series! Besides, we had to introduce more characters, and explain the plot, and so on. All the annoying stuff. Plus we had to buy a pizza. That was all hard work. You're just lucky you got fed.
Hotaru: Thanks for making me the main focus of this chapter. It hasn't happened much yet. Also, guys, if you have any questions you want answered in the next chapter, please review saying so and we'll do our best to include it so that you guys get a full understanding of the plot! :D
Kazue: Everyone who reviews gets a hug! ^^
Cha-Cha and Mugi: And don't forget to create an OC in our forum to become a part of Silence!