Chapter eight
It turned out to be another sleepless night for me as I lay there staring up at the ceiling. The poem ran through my mind so many times, that it almost made perfect sense. Almost. There were a few parts that were unclear, but I assumed that was the hint to talk to the organization. My plan was to hunt down Miss Kimidori and talk to her about it all. Koizumi mentioned I didn't have much time left, and he was correct with that aspect.
Tomorrow would be Saturday. If I wanted to get back and save my world from being destroyed, I'd have to do it soon. At our school, we had Saturday school every other week. It was kind of annoying but right now I was thankful for it all. Tomorrow would be my last chance to see Haruhi and try to pry more answers out or ask for her assistance in anyway. It also meant if I didn't find Miss Kimidori in the halls, I would more than likely not find her ever again.
No pressure though.
I kept staring up, watching a fly or spider dance on the ceiling; wasn't sure which and it didn't really matter. For some reason, since I'd entered this world, my sleep pattern had been cast away. I had grown use to the idea of not sleeping. This was the fifth night in this world, and I knew if I did fall asleep it would be an instant sleep; the kind that feels like only a few seconds had gone by or no sleep at all.
The strange thing was I hadn't felt at all fatigued because of it. Usually when one has a restless night, let alone five, it begins to ware on them. I know back in my world it would have. I'd often be tired because one of Haruhi's conversations would be running in my mind so much, I'd get no sleep at all. Troubled sleep is worse than no sleep at all. My nights were filled with more planning and talking to no one about mindless dribble until I finally fell asleep or my alarm clock went off to tell me it was time for school.
The fly or spider had stopped moving, finally settling down so it appeared as a period above my head. I let myself sigh and close my eyes and try to fall asleep. I said the poem one more time, repeating it word for word. By the time I had reached the end, I'd drifted off.
I was on the edge at school all day. I kept a close and watchful eye on everyone that passed me in the hallways; hoping to catch a glance of Miss Kimidori. An idea popped into my head, as I headed to class, that she was hiding out like Nagato use to do. That put a damper on my search and I entered the classroom searching for my next target.
Haruhi was asleep at her desk, arms folded out in front of her like a pillow; or shield. The sun was out this morning, oddly enough, making Haruhi glow. I went over and sat down giving myself time to set up camp before turning around. "Rough night?" I asked. It seemed talking to Haruhi was getting easier; I was use to the ritual now like in the past.
"I had that dream again," Haruhi groaned and shifted enough to look over at me. Her eyes looked sleep deprived. "Only this time that whole stupid poem played. It was like with your voice though, I didn't hear it all, but I knew what it was." A knowing dream. Those weren't uncommon. "Anyway, did you have any luck figuring out what it meant?"
Could I actually tell her the truth? "Sort of. There are a few hazy parts I'm hoping to figure out today," it wasn't a lie and it wasn't the full truth. Half empty glass.
"Oh," was all she said as she lay back down to sleep some more before class started. I was going to leave her be but something crossed through my mind and I interrupted instead.
"Hey Haruhi?"
That made her a bit grumpy, "what?" She snapped, her closed eyes furrowed slightly.
"Have you ever met anyone named Emiri Kimidori?" I asked.
"Kimidori?" She repeated, eyes going calm once more. "Kind of cute, long lime green colored hair, talks all quiet like?" She asked, describing Miss Kimidori well enough.
"Yeah, that's the one," I said somewhat pleased with myself for being so clever. "How do you know her?"
"I ran into her once when I was skipping class," she admitted so openly. "I was spacing off, I guess, and bumped into her. I apologized but she said it was her fault. When I finished giving her back her stuff I headed outside and she followed me. Asked me where I was going and why I wasn't in class. I asked her the same thing and she said it could wait. Talk about weird."
"Very," I said listening to the story.
"I thought she was like a stalker or something, but I didn't mind the company." Ah, there's that good old Haruhi logic again. When bored, talk to your stalker. "We got to talking about random things and she just smiled and nodded a lot. I could say I was a mass murderer and she probably would have said 'oh that's nice'. All cheery too."
Now that sounded like Miss Kimidori alright. If she was searching Haruhi for information, it made sense.
"Anyway, we talked for a long time and then she just left She said she had things to do. She mentioned her organization would be interested in hear what I had to say. I figured she was doing a survey or something." I guess it was easy to ask this Haruhi information. She thought things were so simply done. "I haven't seen her since," she finally added as the bell rang and class begun.
I turned back around, pretending to pay attention as I imagined Miss Kimidori. What was she probing Haruhi for anyway? "Haruhi, by chance, how long ago was this?" I whispered back to her.
I heard her shifting around, getting into a more classroom appropriate position. "That was on Monday," she said yawning.
The day I've arrived in this world.
When it was time for lunch, like usual, Haruhi bolted from the classroom. I didn't even give a second glance to Taniguchi or Kunikida as I followed after her. The way they were shifting their desks towards mine though, I could tell they were confused by my departure. I ignored them for now, going into the hallway to find Haruhi; remembering her calling me a stalker that first day I spoke to her upon arriving in this world.
I looked around, but surprisingly enough couldn't find her. Was she that good at playing hide and seek? What could she have possibly been doing during lunch everyday that dragged her from the classroom? Maybe the library to do research on espers or something. I headed in that direction, keeping my eyes peeled for Miss Kimidori. Nothing.
"Looking for someone?" Haruhi's razor sharp voice hissed as I came around the corner. If she hadn't said something, I probably would have smacked right into her. "Why are you following me?"
"I wanted to talk to you about something," I blurted without even thinking what that 'something' was. I couldn't tell her I was indeed stalking her.
"Why?" She asked crossing her arms, tapping her foot impatiently. Talk about annoying.
"Why what? Why did I want to talk to you about something?" Now I was just making myself sound stupid.
"Why in general," she said turning away. "I talk to you a few times and you just assume that makes us friends or something?" Talk about doing a personality back flip.
"I never said that," I tried to persuade. She just made a 'humph' noise and starting walking away from me. It was like she was completely different Haruhi from the one I spoke to this morning. "Look," I said going after her, "I was just curious as to where you're always going everyday during lunch."
"The bathroom," she snapped before the last word even got out of my mouth.
"The bathroom?" I repeated, not believing for a minute that's what it was. "You go to the bathroom for the entire lunch period? Do you eat in there too?"
"No," she said and I could tell I was only adding fuel to the fire. "I eat outside, go to the bathroom, then sit outside some more until it's time for class." A likely possibility that I wasn't too gullible for. "What are you? The lunch patrol?"
"No, clam down," I said raising my hand defensively. "I was just wondering. You don't have to get so snappy about it. Since that's all your doing, you won't mind if I join you." It wasn't a question, or even a plea.
"I would mind," she said simply enough. Had Haruhi gotten shorter since the last time I followed behind her like this?
"Why? You can't honestly tell me you enjoy being alone all the time." She stopped suddenly, and I tripped over myself to not hit into her. She didn't say anything so I went on, "aren't things better when you do them with more people. At least one other person?"
"Not when it's someone you dislike," she said tensing up. Had I said something that bad?
"So you admit you dislike me," I stated waiting for a simply yes or no answer. When I didn't get one I just sighed, "fine. I'll leave you alone."
I turned and started to head back for the classroom. I was hungry enough to eat anything my little sister dished out today. It goes with skipping meals; all for the sack of research and saving the human race. "We can talk after school." Haruhi said before I had a chance to disappear.
"Mm? Okay then," I shrugged, wondering why it had to be after school and not now. Maybe she really did have other plans. "See you after school then."
I turned the corner and Haruhi didn't follow me or say anything further. Going back to the classroom was probably not the best thing to do. The second I stepped in, I was attacked by Taniguchi, "Kyon, just what do you think you're doing?" He asked putting an arm around me, leading me to the circle of desks they'd made; with or without me I suppose. I felt like I was about to be fed to a pack of wolves.
"I had to go to the bathroom," I said simply enough as I shoved him off me and sat down at my desk. I grabbed my bag, digging around for the lunch left for me. "Sorry I didn't ask your permission first."
"You were not going to the bathroom," he said sitting down in his seat. Kunikida was busy eating some type of rice ball at the moment, just watching us debate. "You think we haven't noticed? You and Suzumiya definitely have a thing going on."
What kind of thing exactly? "No we don't," I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I started eating leftover curry. Dull and bland, just the way I liked it.
"Oh yes you do," Taniguchi insisted. "You two have been talking like friends and yesterday you both were late to class. It was probably part of a plan so you and her could be together after school right? Make it look like you just had to do work, when really you two were having some kind of love fest."
There were several things wrong with his assumption. For one thing, the words: Haruhi, love and fest don't go together. Especially when referring to me. "Okay, you caught me," I said shaking my head, "I'm so busy with my own life that the only way I could talk to Haruhi was by giving myself detention. That's exactly what my plan was, happy?"
He grinned, "I knew it!" What? He couldn't tell I was joking? "Don't worry Kyon, your secret is safe with me."
"Me too," Kunikida piped in. They both were hopeless. At least they were done with that subject for a while; moving on to talking about food, television programs, classes and other useless crap I didn't care for. I think they were going to ask a few more questions when Haruhi stepped into the classroom. They went quiet as she sat in her desk behind mine, looking out the window waiting for the bell to ring.
They were probably wondering the same thing I was. What was Haruhi doing back so soon? Usually she showed up seconds before class started and not a moment earlier. Maybe she really was going to the bathroom after all.
"You've been trying to start a club?" I said with little question, more amusement. Haruhi had kept her promise and waited for me after class so we could talk and walk together for a while. I offered to take her home, but she ignored me. Haruhi never had visitors over, in either dimension. Maybe she was embarrassed by an average family life.
"Yeah," she said walking beside me. She was on the inside of the sidewalk, and I on the outside towards the cars more. I was told that the bigger person should always walk on the outside to protect those on the inside. Strange, but true. "A club," she clarified.
We were more or less just circling the school. I should have been sitting down and talking since I had a long ways to go to get home myself; but somehow walking seemed easier. My legs would hate me in the morning though.
"What kind of club?" I asked trying to hide my smile.
"I haven't decided yet," she said with a shrug, arms crossed in front of her. Typical 'thinking' Haruhi pose. "I might do some kind of mystery club since the ones we have now are a joke. Maybe some kind of really cool investigation club. A detective agency of some kind. Whatever I want."
Maybe this was what I needed. Maybe Haruhi would start the brigade all over again and I would be able to go home. Or at least continue living over here. "You could do that," I said thoughtfully, "you could just make a club of hanging out. You know? Find weird things but do it having fun." I felt my smile coming out more, "you could call it the 'spreading excitement all over the world with Haruhi Suzumiya brigade'. You could call it the SOS brigade for short."
She stopped and gave me a confused look, like I'd just exclaimed something completely absurd. "The SOS brigade? Are you kidding me? That's just about the lamest thing I've ever heard." I couldn't disagree with her on that one, but the name had finally grown on me. "Besides, it sounds like we'd be rescuers of some kind. SOS is short for save our souls right? It sounds like we'd be more of a crime buster gang than a group looking for mysteries."
"I always thought SOS meant save our ship. Sailors use it to call to other ships when they're under attack by pirates or something." At least, that's what I thought it was.
"No," she said walking on. That was that. "Anyway, I want a cool name. Something people will remember for a long time. Maybe we can make some kind of logo or motto to go along with it. I guess I'll talk to the other members when I get them."
"Other members?" I asked, hopeful she'd already gotten the group together. Maybe this would be easier than I 'd anticipated.
"Yeah, in the school manual it says I need at least five members. I'm one, so I just need another four." She hadn't included me in the mix yet. It was my own wild card. I could easily watch and monitor the brigade from the sidelines, away from the madness and manipulative schemes Haruhi was sure to come up with.
"Well you know, Haruhi, I wouldn't mind being in your brigade." I found the words pouring out. Maybe I really did miss the crazy group that made my life a bit more interesting. Maybe that's why I wanted to go back so badly.
"Don't call it a brigade," Haruhi said scrunching her nose. "It sounds like a gang term. We'll be an organization or club or something else. Not a brigade." That made me sink a little, but it was fine. Who cared about the name so long as the main plot stayed strong. "After I get five people together, I need a club room. One that no one else is using right now. There are a few I know of, but I don't like the location."
"How about the old literary club room," I suggested. A noble contribution.
"Maybe," Haruhi said right off the bat. "I'll have to check it out for myself."
I wanted to add something else but a few kids on bikes came at us. Laughing loudly and jingling their bells like car horns in alarm. Haruhi side stepped, but it wasn't enough, and one of the bikes made her lose balance. I side stepped also to give her more room, but for some reason, there was a large gap in the sidewalk and I found myself falling down. I hit the pavement hard, though I landed enough to keep from harm.
I rubbed at my side as I sat there, flinching at a new bruise about to arise. Then things went a bit blurred. My ears seemed to pop as a louder noise was heard. I thought it was the kids' bike bells again pretending to be car horns. It wasn't.
That was a real car horn. A truck, actually, heading straight for me. I turned my head enough to see it but knew there was no way to get out of its path on time. Not with my ankle hurting the way it was. I heard a scream, and maybe my name, but it was distorted. Under water sounding, and so far away. Was Haruhi the one screaming? Or was I?
Everything went black and a pain washed through me like I'd never felt before.
Was I dead?
If so, how was I still able to ask that question?
"Where am I?" I muttered rubbing my head and sitting up. I wasn't in the road anymore, or even by the school. I wasn't so sure I was even on Earth anymore.
I was in a room, maybe, that was all dark. Not the same black abyss like when Miss Asakura was trying to kill me. That alone made me feel a bit less endangered. It was a crimson color and seem to spread out vastly. In the supposed center was a piano looking object. I say 'piano looking' because it could have been anything for all I knew; but from my end, it did look like a normal grand piano. The keys were glossy, from a mythical light source I couldn't see. There was a faint ticking sound that I noticed was coming from a metronome on top of the piano. I couldn't see the clicker though, which made me curious.
I stood up and watched my feet at all times. They appeared to be on solid ground but it was hard to tell where the ground ended and the wall began. I cautiously stepped toward the piano, eyeing the little music device. There wasn't a clicker anywhere to be seen, but it could have easily been electronic. I couldn't see the integrated data entities going out shopping for batteries, but it wasn't my place to judge.
"You should be more careful Kyon," a tiny voice said. I jumped at first, spinning around to see Miss Kimidori standing there. She had a pained look on her face and was playing with her fingers shyly. It made me think of Miss Asahina for a moment. "You were almost crushed by that truck."
I had almost forgotten about that. "What happened back there?" I asked dumbly.
She looked nervous but nodded her head and gave the answer "you almost died." Well thanks for clearing that up for me. I hadn't realized. "Kyon, you are very important to bringing this world to an end before your world reaches it's peek. It is stable for now but in a matter of hours it could take a turn for the worse. You are ruining your chance for survival even now."
"I'm ruining my chance for survival?" I asked in doubt, "what do you mean by that?"
"Kyon," she kept saying my name like it would make me more calm to the situation, "you are not to interfere with this world."
"I was unaware I was interfering at all," I felt myself frown looking over at the piano again. Something familiar amongst the confusion. "I'm just trying to get back home, or at least, I thought I was. Now I'm not so sure I can get back."
"What do you mean?" She squeaked.
"Well think about it," I said narrowing my eyes just a bit, "this world looks and feels the exact same as the old one. Everyone is here and those that aren't will be one day. Haruhi is going to remake the brigade which means Nagato, Koizumi and Miss Asahina will return here as well. Things will go on like there had never been anything wrong."
"No, you are wrong!" Miss Kimidori didn't exactly yell, but she did raise her whispery voice at me. "No matter what happens, this world is not yours. Can you not feel the difference." Quite frankly, I couldn't. "You have to return to your world. The past cannot be rewritten, the future cannot be altered and nothing will ever continue the same direction twice." Lightning may strike the same place over and over again, but it's never the same bolt; I reminded myself.
"Tell me something then," I said, breaking away from her argument. "'The organization told Kyon, Nagato had been to Haruhi; and mentioned Kyon to Koizumi. Haruhi gave Kyon a compliment, but then insulted him. Koizumi sent the organization word, Kyon had not gone, we know this to be true. If Haruhi would push the matter on, what would become of Kyon?
"Kyon gave Haruhi one, but the organization gave Koizumi two. Nagato gave us three or more. They, the numbers, returned from Koizumi to Nagato, though they were Kyon's before. If Nagato or Haruhi should chance to be involved in this affair, Koizumi trusts Kyon to set them free, exactly as we were.
"Kyon's notion was that Nagato had been, before Haruhi had this fit, an obstacle that came between Kyon, and the brigade and it, being life. Don't let Kyon know Haruhi liked him best, for this must ever be, a secret kept from all the rest, between yourself and me'." I was quite pleased with myself for remembering every word of that silly poem. "What's all that suppose to mean?" Miss Kimidori had gone quiet once more. "I can understand most of it, but what does Nagato have to do with anything?"
"That poem you just recited is nothing more than a poem," she said softly. I could tell she was bluffing, "you are simply changing the words to a children's story told for generations. It does not mean anything."
"Maybe not," I said turning more to fully face her. I hadn't realized how much taller I was than everybody up until now. "Nagato's side to the poem is real though. You mentioned she was suppose to just observe and now she can't be pulled back here. What's all that suppose to mean."
She nervously played with her fingers again. "I am not advised to tell you everything," she said in a hushed voice that I could barely understand. "I can tell you this though, Yuki Nagato is very important to our investigation of Miss Suzumiya."
I already knew that. "Okay, so why would that be a bad thing?"
"Yuki Nagato is in grave danger. That is one of the reasons you must return to your world."
Nagato and danger didn't seem to flow well together. I couldn't imagine her needing any help, especially mine. "Alright, explain why she's in danger."
"I cannot go into many details, but since you are involved, I can tell you a few things." I was involved? Maybe that poem was correct to some degree. Why else would Nagato give it to me to solve. "Ryoko Asakura was sent to monitor Haruhi Suzumiya in a normal high school environment. Since she is a low rank, a higher rank needed to supervise."
"Nagato," I said proudly for knowing what she was talking about so far.
"Correct," she nodded, "Yuki Nagato monitored activity from a far. When Miss Suzumiya wanted an alien in her club, as well as an appropriate club room, Nagato unit was there to jump in. Her only function would be to watch activities close up, making the Asakura unit obsolete."
"Okay that makes sense. What do I have to do with anything?"
Miss Kimidori smiled, "you see Kyon, you are a charming personality. You make anyone in contact with you happy, in a way. You did not simply ignore Yuki Nagato, you helped her. You befriended her which reacted in making Miss Suzumiya befriend her as well. The others in your group, the esper and time traveler, were not meant to come in direct contact at all. Yet because of you and Miss Suzumiya, they did." She paused, "that is, I'm saying no organizations come in contact with one another under any circumstance, yet because of Miss Suzumiya they did."
"So I made everyone friends. How is that a bad thing?" I was somewhat eccentric at the thought of me being the only reason anyone in the group got along from the start.
"She- That is Nagato unit- is refusing to return to our head quarters." She was worried, almost scared looking now. "Our theory and few data provide that Yuki Nagato is too close to Miss Suzumiya and yourself. She refuses to return until after you all have parted ways."
Parted ways? Were they planning on us never seeing each other after school or something? "Is that why she's still in that world instead of coming here?" I asked.
I finally got my answer. She gave a slow nod before continuing on, "I cannot tell you much else. Nagato unit is very important to us though, and her being away will only cause complications like the one you faced with Ryoko Asakura."
"I see," I muttered before something clicked, "wait a minute. If Miss Asakura was here, shouldn't Nagato or a Nagato double be here to watch her?"
"Unfortunately, your conception on the data is too little. In simple terms, there is only one Yuki Nagato."
I think I was just insulted, but it was hard to tell. Only one Nagato? I guess it made sense, "that's why she's important? That there's only one of her?"
"For now, that is all you can know."
"I can see why losing her to that world would be a bad thing then," I said going a bit quiet. No one spoke for a long time, that ticking was still going. When I finally couldn't take it anymore I asked, "Miss Kimidori, where am I? What's with the ticking? The metronome?"
She smiled sweetly at me, tucking her arms back behind her, "that is no mere metronome Kyon. It only appears as one while you are in this room. Every person has one, and every person gives it a different shape."
"Okay, so what's 'it' exactly?"
"'It' is your life force," she said simply.
I just stared for a long time then listened to the ticking. My ticking. Was that how long I had to live? Until the obnoxious noise stopped. "Wait," I said eyes going a bit wide, "that's what 'it' is?" I'm not sure if it was a statement or a question but I never got an answer.
I blacked out again.
When I came to, I half expected to be somewhere else strange and foreign. Instead I felt myself moving and talking. I blinked to wake myself up as I looked around. I was walking along the side walk?
"Maybe," Haruhi's voice said from my side. "I'll have to check it out for myself."
"Check what out?" I asked dizzily.
"The club room you just mentioned," she said rolling her eyes. "Can't you even stay with one conversation at a time?"
"Guess not," I said looking around. Was Miss Kimidori and mine's talk a dream? What about that ticking device? "Hey Haruhi, I'll talk to you later. I think I just figured out another part to the poem." I said breaking away from her to cross the street. No cars, truck or bicycles in sight.
"Alright," she said giving me a wave as she turned and headed back towards the school gates. She probably forgot something.
I didn't think too much on it as I raced home.