I cannot apologize enough for the delay of this chapter. The delay was a mix of too much school work (I had to finish the school term and had a ton of work to do) and writer's block. Luckily, I'm on break from school for the next two weeks, so I'll be able to try and catch up on this fic.

And so it finally begins. The trip to Kyoto. To be perfectly honest, I've been a bit worried about writing these next three chapters. I did what I could as far as research goes, but even still, I wasn't sure if I did it was well as it could be.

I would also like to say a sad farewell to the new episodes of Haruhi (it's a little overdue, I know). Hopefully, it won't take another three years for more new episodes to appear.

By the way, there's some alcohol use in this chapter. If that bothers you, you clearly haven't read the light novels…

Well, I hope you guys enjoy it.

Chapter 24

I was on the train now. There was definitely no going back. Despite my wishes, I was seated next to Haruhi, with Koizumi, Nagato and Asahina-san sitting on the other side of the aisle. The anxiousness I had felt all week was now stronger than ever. I wanted this trip to be over with as soon as possible, but I knew it was going to drag. I didn't even have the luxury of sitting next to the window so I could stare out of it to try and clear my thoughts. Although having an aisle seat wasn't so bad, given my current mood, it wasn't my ideal choice.

Haruhi picked up her school bag and removed some of her school books. "We should work on our homework while we're on our way there. That way it'll be done by the time we arrive, and it won't be in the way."

Even though I was already aware of the utter futility of me doing my homework at this point, I decided that it was best to appease her. After all, I still couldn't tell her the truth yet, and I figured doing homework might be a good distraction. I pulled out my books as well and began what would be my last set of homework assignments for North High. I was going to miss having such a good tutor helping me with my studies.

Actually, I was going to miss a lot about Haruhi…Never mind. I need to get back to studying…

We were now at our destination. It was hard to believe we were really here, but the huge crowd of people at the train station at this time was hard evidence that it was true. I looked at Haruhi, who was looking through a travel guide that she had bought earlier.

"We need to check into the hotel first before anything else," said Haruhi as she quickly skimmed the surprisingly thick book. "Once we're there, we'll drop our stuff off and split up. Does anyone not know what they'll be doing when we split?"

I raised my hand, partly because I was still clueless as how I was going to properly search a whole city. "Where exactly am I looking today?"

"Stupid Kyon!" yelled Haruhi sourly. "Don't you remember? You're searching area two!"

To reiterate my question, where am I looking? I have no idea where area two is.

"Both Area one and two are in central Kyoto!" stated Haruhi loudly while placing her hands on her hips. "Weren't you paying attention to the map when we went over this?"

Of course not. There's no point in trying to figure out where the hell I'm headed. I already know we're not going to find anything.

"Just forget it," said Haruhi as she began to walk towards the exit. "Just follow Koizumi around!"

Sounds good enough to me. The less I have to think about, the better. I already have too much on my mind right now.

We all left shortly after that, taking a smaller passenger train deeper into the city. Haruhi seemed engrossed in the contents of the travel guide. She then suddenly blinked in surprise and smiled. "Hey! Did you know that Nintendo holds its headquarters in this city?"

"Fascinating," responded Koizumi. "Are you considering making a visit there?"

"Nah," answered the Brigade Chief. "Corporate headquarters are usually boring." She then appeared to think about the idea a bit more. "But then again, sneaking our way into the Research and Development Department just to see what prototype game system they might be working on would be cool…" She then starts stroking her chin as she slipped deeper into her train of thought, that infamous smile of hers growing.

I of course knew what she was thinking and immediately knew it was a bad idea. I had to get her to forget about it. "So what happened to finding something mysterious? Have you given up on that already?"

Haruhi glared at me with an annoyed expression. "Of course not! I was only fantasizing. Don't think for second that I don't have my priorities straight!"

Wait. Since when did you ever have priorities?

"You better cut it out with your attitude, Kyon," said Haruhi as she pointed her finger directly at me. "Don't think that you're safe from penalties while we're on this trip!"

I decided to ignore her statement and leaned my head against the window. I was less than excited by the thought of walking all over the city. Somewhere in the back of my mind I had hoped an N2 mine would explode few miles away, vaporizing the nearby area and canceling this trip early. Of course, I wasn't serious about the notion. Killing a few hundred thousand people so I wouldn't have to go through with this trip was hardly a fair trade.

Eventually, we arrived at our destination. We only had to walk about a block before we arrived at the hotel. It had more western-style accommodations, an indication that the building wasn't terribly old.

"I want to apologize if you were hoping for more traditional hotel accommodations," said Koizumi as he scratched the back of his head. "The friend of our family had this hotel built a couple years ago, believing that Kyoto could use one with a more modern style."

Haruhi didn't seem terribly bothered by this fact. "It's fine, Koizumi-kun. The SOS Brigade should embrace the new as well as the old."

I decided not to think about whether there was any truth in Koizumi's words and merely went to what was going to be the room Koizumi and I would share after we checked in. I found out that Haruhi booked suites for both rooms. Both rooms had a large TV, large, comfy beds, a desk (which I assumed was meant for businessmen who wanted to do work) and a few other nice furnishings. It wasn't top-grade, but it was considerably nicer than a standard room. After dropping off our luggage, we went out the front door with all of our useless gear in hand.

Haruhi decided to give all of us one last motivational speech before we were to split up. "I don't want any of you to be discouraged by the fact that we have such a large city to search. I'm not expecting you to search every inch of it. You can speed things up by using common sense. Try to keep your search focused on locations where the mysterious are most likely to occur. And most importantly of all, do not allow yourself to be distracted by the sights of the city. We only have a day and a half to search, so we can't waste time."

Wait, you want us to use common sense while we search a city for stuff we know we won't find? Am I the only one here who sees the irony in all this. If I were to use my common sense, I would just drop all this useless crap and go soak in a hot spring.

Haruhi glared at me a bit before continuing. "I expect every one of you to take this seriously. This is not a vacation, and anyone who is caught not doing what they're supposed to will be penalized to the fullest extent of the law!"

What laws are you talking about? I'm more than thankful that the law makers in this country have way more sense than you ever will.

"We'll meet up here at nine tonight," announced Haruhi before raising her hand in the air. "Let's go!"

Minutes later, Koizumi and I were now walking down the street, looking like complete morons with our butterfly nets. Koizumi had his own copy of the travel guide, and he was skimming through it, probably looking for ideas on where to go. After a minute, he appeared to have found something. He looked at his watch to before giving me his ever obnoxious grin. "We could check out the International Manga Museum if we hurry. It's still open for another hour."

I shrugged in response. "That's fine with me. It should kill some time."

During our trip to the museum, I noticed that if anything described Kyoto, it was that it was a blending of old and new. It was the former capitol of Japan after all. Throughout the entire city, one could find temples, palaces, and other ancient architecture strewn about. In between all of it were buildings with much more modern, western architecture. To some, this may seem a bit weird, but given the weirdness I've seen in my lifetime (most of it coming from the last year or so), I was left somewhat unimpressed. Of course, this could just be my lousy mood affecting my perception.

It only took us fifteen minutes to arrive at the museum. Since Koizumi and I were high school students, the entrance fee was a cheap 300 yen each. The security there was suspicious of the "gear" we were carrying, and we were asked to leave our stuff up at the front, not that I blame them. Anyone walking around a city with a butterfly net deserves all the suspicion in the world.

The manga museum had many exhibits for us to look at, including works dating back over a hundred years ago. It also had some more contemporary works as well. Likely the biggest draw for this place was the fact that it acted like a giant library stocked to the brim with thousands of copies of manga, both new and old. For someone willing to spend the time, the admission fee was a small price to pay for such access. Unfortunately, Koizumi and I only had 45 minutes to spend, which quickly flew by. When the announcement was made that it was time to leave, the two of us returned to the front and retrieved our stuff before we went on our way.

"So where to next?" asked Koizumi as if he was completely out of ideas.

"How am I supposed to know?" I replied bluntly. "You're the one I'm supposed to follow, remember?"

"Indeed," said Koizumi as he continued to look through the travel guide. "Unfortunately, many of the main tourist locations close at around this time."

Of course they would. Leave it to our brilliant "Brigade Chief" to have us walk around a city when anything remotely interesting would be closed.

Koizumi chuckled a bit while shrugging. "Of course, we're technically not supposed to be sight-seeing."

"You're not seriously considering having us actually 'look' of strange things, are you?"

"Of course not," said the esper as he seemed to have found something in the travel guild. "It seems that there's another museum we can visit that's open until 7:30."

Is that the best you can do? Museums? What could possibly be more exciting? "Why don't we just wait at the hotel until it's almost nine before we leave and come back? We'll give the appearance that we were just arriving there."

"As much as I would enjoy such an idea, I fear that it may not fool Suzumiya-san. She may even decide to come back to the hotel early to make sure we're not shrugging off our responsibilities."

As much as I didn't want to admit it, he had a point. It would be like Haruhi to pull such a stunt. Knowing this, I relented on the idea of visiting the other museum. At least it was better than walking around like a bunch of idiots. "So where's this other museum?"

The Museum of Kyoto was one of those museums designed to give a general overview of the history of the city. It was composed of several wings, each displaying many ancient artifacts of historic value. To be honest, this place was far better suited for people who are unfamiliar with the city's history (namely foreigners or children). High school or university students who have already been drilled with all the basic details of this city's history aren't likely to learn anything new here. In other words, I was bored out of my mind. The good news was that since Koizumi and I were high school students, admission was free.

By the time 7:30 rolled around, I had my fill of all the exhibits and was thoroughly ready to leave. We grabbed our stuff at the front (since we had to leave it behind again) and left the premises. I'd managed to take a few pictures of some of the exhibits as proof to Haruhi later that we were out looking for the unusual. I figured I would come up with some excuse that we were looking for…

Before I could finish my thought, I heard my phone ringing. I picked it up to find that it was Haruhi on the other line. I answered the phone with a sour look on my face. "Hello?"

"Find anything?" asked Haruhi, wasting no time in getting to the point.

"Nope?" I answered nonchalantly.

"Were you two really looking?" asked the Brigade Chief in an accusing tone.

"Yes," I answered in a slightly annoyed manner. "We went to two museums."

"Damn you, Kyon!" yelled Haruhi. "I thought I made it clear that this was not a sight-seeing trip!"

Why the hell are you yelling at me for? Since Koizumi is technically in charge or the second team, wouldn't it be his fault that we went to the museums?

"Put Koizumi on now!" demanded Haruhi.

Why didn't you just call him in the first place? He is the leader of the second group after all, since you so wonderfully decided to rip that honor away from me even though I earned it.

"Enough with your attitude, Kyon!" shouted Haruhi. "What's with you, anyway? You've been cranky all day!"

I decided not to answer and instead handed the phone to Koizumi. Even if I wanted to tell her why my mood was so craptastic, I couldn't for fear of ruining the trip. I'd rather that Koizumi dealt with her anyway.

Koizumi took the phone from me and began to speak. "Hello? Yes…My apologies, Suzumiya-san. I had hoped that looking at some ancient artifacts might lead to us finding something interesting."

Dammit, that was going to be my idea! Was the thought of it that obvious, or was Koizumi a mind-reader?

Koizumi continued his conversation with Haruhi. "I'm terribly sorry that we haven't found anything yet…yes?... Ah, okay…I understand. I'll make sure of it…very well. We'll see you at nine. Bye." He then hung up the phone and handed it back to me.

"So what did she say?" I asked as I put the phone away.

"She merely said 'good thinking' about the museum idea before telling me your punishment."

"What punishment? What did I do?"

Koizumi shrugged before answering. "She told me that due to your attitude that you were required to carry all the equipment until we arrived at the designated spot in front of the hotel at nine."

Please don't tell me you're actually going to make me do that, because if you do, you're likely in for a fight.

Koizumi chuckled before responding. "Of course I won't make you carry all of it the whole time, although I will ask that you carry it before we meet up with Suzumiya-san, just to keep up appearances." He then looked at his watch before looking at me again. "We may as well just walk around for another hour before we return. None of the tourist locations are open at this time now."

"Fine with me," I said as I put my butterfly net over my shoulder.

For most of the remaining time, Koizumi and I traveled the streets of Kyoto, familiarizing ourselves with the sights of the city. For the first half-an-hour, neither of us said a whole lot. It was only when we stopped at a pedestrian crosswalk that Koizumi chuckled about something.

"Something on your mind?" I asked regretfully. In hindsight, I should have known that asking that would lead into a long exposition.

"It's nothing. I've just been thinking about a little theory that I've been toying around with in my head for the last few days."

Oh boy. Another theory. Is this one about Haruhi, too?

"Actually, it's a bit different," answered Koizumi. "It's actually something that came to mind when I recently watched a science program talking about the 'M Theory.'"

"What the hell is that?" I asked, starting to become confused.

"My understanding of the theory isn't complete, so you'll have to forgive me. I'm not a physicist after all. If I remember correctly, the theory states that there are exactly eleven dimensions of reality that exist. We ourselves cannot perceive anymore then four of them. The other seven can only be perceived mathematically. Anyway, it's stated that the eleventh dimensional layer is the layer to which all of reality as we know or don't know resides. And in that dimension, our universe floats within it like a piece of fabric, or 'membrane.' The 'M' in membrane is where the theory gets its name."

I was completely lost at this point. If he was talking about something that he barely understood, what chance did I have at understanding it?

The crossing signal changed, telling us it was okay to move. Koizumi continued his speech while we walked. "There's an important component to this theory. According to the program I watched, the membrane that composes our universe isn't the only one floating in the eleventh dimension. In fact, there are an unlimited number of other membranes, other universes that float around in this dimension as well. Each and every one of those universes is different from the last. Every possible form of reality, existing simultaneously alongside each other."

"So what? Does that mean we've proven the existence of other parallel dimensions?"

"Well, the theory is still in its infancy, and there are many physicists who argue against it, but if the theory continues to hold true, then yes. And that's where I started thinking. I've already told you about the Organization's theory that Suzumiya-san created this universe four years ago. It's also possible that she's remade this universe many times."

"Are you saying she's remade all the other universes, too?" I asked, completely failing to see where he's going with all this.

"Not exactly. I personally do not believe that Suzumiya-san's power extends beyond the realm of this universe. If it did, there would be the question of 'who else could also shape the Multiverse in such a way?'"

"Multiverse?"

"That's the term used to describe the collection of every universe in existence. Anyway, if Suzumiya-san could affect the Multiverse, then so could all the infinite number of other Suzumiya-sans that existed in all the other parallel dimensions. You can see why this would be a problem. The Multiverse would exist in constant chaos. And since this universe appears unaffected by anyone other than our own Suzumiya-san, then it's safe to conclude that all the Suzumiya-sans in all of existence can only affect the reality of their home universe."

The thought of an infinite number of Haruhis made my head hurt. "So does that mean that there are an infinite number of us as well?"

"Precisely," answered Koizumi as he wiped some sweat off his brow. "There are likely an infinite number of versions of you and me, as well as Nagato-san and Asahina-san. Some are exactly like us, some are slightly different, and some are radically different. But that wasn't my original point. What I was trying to state before was that there must have been a parent dimension to this one." As if anticipating my question, Koizumi cuts me off and continues. "The parent dimension is likely the dimension that started it all for this universe. It was the first one to be remade. Maybe it was the one before this one, maybe the hundredth. The point is that the first version of this universe was likely similar to this one, without the aliens, time-travelers and espers, of course. Yet, it was still a world capable of supporting life."

I was starting to wonder when he would finish. "And?"

"It would seem a strange, nearly impossible coincidence that the laws of physics in this universe happened to be just right to support life. Any change in the gravitational constant or change in the magnetic force would result in a barren, lifeless universe. So tell me, what are the odds that this universe would happen to be tailored just right for life to exist?"

"I have no idea," I answered, figuring the odds were impossibly small.

"The odds are one-hundred percent."

I was surprised by Koizumi's answer. "What do you mean? Are you saying that this universe was guaranteed to exist the way it does?"

"Think about it. If there exists an infinite number of universes with infinite possibilities, then the odds that at least one of those universes would happen to be exactly like ours are virtually certain. This universe, and every universe that has ever existed, are the result of a coincidence. A coincidence that was guaranteed to occur simply because there exists enough universes that it would be impossible that none of them are exactly like ours."

"So is there some kind of point you're trying to make?" I asked.

Koizumi chuckled. "Not necessarily. It's possible that I'm completely wrong. Heck, if "M Theory" is ever debunked, my theory falls flat on its face. I just find it interesting to think about."

I had become a little overwhelmed by everything Koizumi had told me. I couldn't take much more. This was all far deeper than I ever wanted to think. I had enough to think about as it was. Why couldn't he ever talk about something that didn't make me want to nail a stake into my brain? How does he come up with this stuff, anyway? Does he sit at home all day meditating on it, hoping to achieve enlightenment? Does he hope to reach Nirvana and forever escape this plane of existence? There was no way for me to know, nor did I really want to know. In any case, I decided to let him know that I'd had enough.

"Look, Koizumi, we should probably put this on hold. What time is it?"

Koizumi looked at his watch before answering. "You're right. It's about time that we head back. We wouldn't want to keep Suzumiya-san waiting. To be honest, there was one more piece to my theory, but I guess that can wait. We should get moving."

It was then that Koizumi and I began to hustle back to the hotel to meet up with the girls.

I am so pissed right now! You may be asking why. Well I'll gladly tell you. It's because when Koizumi and I finally met up with Haruhi, we discovered that the three of them were all carrying several shopping bags. In other words, while Koizumi and I were walking all over the city like idiots, the girls were having a grand old time shopping.

Apparently sensing my exasperation, Haruhi had a response prepared. "While the three of us were going about our search, we discovered that we were short on supplies, so we went out to buy them."

Do you honestly expect me to believe that?! Just what are in those bags anyway?

Haruhi turned away from me and crossed her arms. "None of your business!"

Growing increasingly suspicious, I look at the other two girls. Nagato merely stared stoically at me while Asahina-san put a finger in front of her lips and winked. "Sorry, Kyon-kun. It's a secret."

So what? I'm supposed to believe that these "supplies" are apparently "secret?" Just what the hell is Haruhi planning, anyway?

Haruhi turned to Koizumi, obviously trying to change the subject. "Did you two find anything?"

"I'm most sorry, Suzumiya-san," said Koizumi regretfully. "We failed to find any mysterious phenomenon."

Did you really think we'd find anything? I'm certain we could tear this city apart from head to toe and never find a thing even remotely mysterious.

Haruhi appeared unconcerned by our failure. "It's okay. We still have all day tomorrow to find something, but for now we should head in. It's getting late and I'm sure everyone here could use some rest."

That's probably the most intelligent thing you've said all day. Finally, I can relax.

The five of us finally entered the hotel and made our way to our rooms. I was glad to finally put down our useless equipment before I went to lie on my bed. I was exhausted by now and wanted to get some sleep. Unfortunately, I knew that going to sleep would be next to impossible no matter how wore out I was. The thoughts of the last week all came back to me. The fact that I was going to be kicked out the day after this trip was over, the apparently bad thing that was supposed to happen according to Asahina-san (Big), and the highly likely fact that Haruhi was planning to confess sometime during this trip. All of these things were enormous problems that I had no idea how to solve. All I was given were two extremely vague clues that I was having trouble remembering at the moment. It's official. The world was doomed.

I was soon roused from this thought when I heard a knocking at my door. Koizumi was quick to answer it, and I soon discovered that it was Haruhi, along with Nagato and Asahina-san.

"Mind if we come in?" asked Haruhi in a tone that clearly said "We're coming in regardless of whether you wanted us to or not."

"Not at all," answered Koizumi predictably as he motioned the three of them in. "Make yourselves comfortable."

I forced myself to sit up as the three girls invaded our room. "What are you doing here?"

Haruhi raised an eyebrow at my question. "What? We just want to hang out."

"Why can't you hang out in your room?"

Haruhi gave me a sour look before answering, leaning toward me with her hand at her hips. "Because our room has less space in it due to us having to add an extra bed for Yuki. What's your problem anyway?"

Realizing that I really didn't want to start a fight, I sighed deeply and rubbed my eyes. "Nothing, I'm just tired."

"Don't tell me you're thinking of going to sleep already! It's not even that late yet! We have the whole night to ourselves! We should be making the most of it!"

"What exactly do you expect us to do all night?"

Haruhi blinked for a bit before putting her hand on her chin. She then snapped her fingers excitedly. "Well, for starters, we should order some food! I'm starving!" She then raised her hand in the air triumphantly. "Let's get some room service!"

After she said that, we went ahead and ordered some meals for everyone. Apparently, the TV was the device we had to use in order to make our orders. Once everyone had completed their order, we had to wait about a half-an-hour for the food to arrive. When it did, I was in for another surprise.

Koizumi opened the door after the knock, revealing none other than Arakawa-san and Mori-san, both dressed in uniforms standard to those who worked for the hotel. They had a cart with them with all the food we ordered.

Haruhi was quite surprised to see them. "Arakawa-san! Mori-san! What are you doing here?"

The both of them bowed before Arakawa-san answered. "The both of us are currently under the employ of this hotel."

"But I thought you two worked as a maid and a butler?" said Haruhi, a bit confused.

"Our last contract had expired recently," said Mori-san. "And we needed some work while we waited for the next client to require our services."

Koizumi then interjected. "I found out that the both of them were recently out of work, so I put the good word in for them so they could work here in the mean time."

"And we are very thankful for it," said Mori-san.

I already knew that everything they were saying was a bunch of bull crap. I'd been aware that Arakawa-san and Mori-san were members of Koizumi's Organization for a while now. No doubt that said Organization likely owned this hotel. Haruhi, on the other hand, was completely ignorant of this fact and merely smiled cheerfully. "Well that's good. At least we know that the service will be excellent!"

"It is an honor to serve you," said Arakawa-san politely as he and Mori-san began to serve everyone their meals. When everyone had everything they had ordered, the two of them took the cart out of the room and began to leave.

"If you need anything else, do not be afraid to ask," said Arakawa-san as they bowed one last time before closing the door.

While the girls began to chow down, I leaned up again Koizumi to speak to him quietly. "I take it that your buddies decided to tag along on the trip?"

"I must apologize for not saying anything earlier," whispered Koizumi. "Although you probably suspected as much, I assume. There have been other members of the Organization that have been keeping an eye on Suzumiya-san during this trip."

"Are the Tamaru brothers around as well?"

"Well, I'll just say that if you happen to spot a couple of police officers that look exactly like them, it's probably just a coincidence," said Koizumi, obviously joking.

I decided to drop the subject and began eating my meal. To tell the truth, my mood had lowered my appetite all day, but by now I was hungry enough to eat anyway.

While all of us were eating, Haruhi began to look around the room. "Shoot! I need something to drink! Where do we find something to drink around here?" She then began to look around the room for a means to quench her thirst. I decided not to pay too much attention to her until she said something that almost made me spit out my food.

"Hey! A mini-bar!"

I turned immediately towards Haruhi to discover that she was hunched over what I had thought was a mini-refrigerator. It turns out that I was wrong, and it was in fact a storage container for various types of alcohol. It was exactly what Haruhi said it was. A mini-bar.

Haruhi appeared apprehensive about what was contained within the mini-bar. No doubt she remembered what happened the last time we all got drunk. After Haruhi and I consumed an excessive amount of wine during our summer trip on the island, we were rudely awakened with horrible hangovers the next morning. It was then that Haruhi declared that the consumption of alcohol was illegal for all members of the Brigade. Something told me, however, that she was strongly reconsidering that declaration.

Knowing that, I decided to speak up. "Are you going to drink any of it? I thought alcohol was banned for us."

"I know," said Haruhi as she continued to stared down the drinks anxiously. It was then that she took one last deep breath before she reached out and grabbed a six-pack of beer. "Why not? This is an important event anyway. Besides, it's been almost a year since the last time we drank. I think we own it to ourselves to celebrate! As Brigade Chief, I'm officially repealing the ban on alcohol!"

What's the point of having a ban on anything if you could just repeal it whenever you feel like it? And by the way, you do realize that we're not on some deserted island now, right? I'm pretty sure it's illegal for all of us to drink here…except for Asahina-san, maybe…how old is she now anyway? Who am I kidding? Since this hotel is owned and operated by Koizumi esper buddies, Haruhi could practically get away with murder.

Haruhi began to pull the individual cans off of the rings. She then tossed one my direction. "Catch!"

Despite not really being ready for it, I managed to catch the can after bobbling it around a bit. "What are you doing? I didn't ask for one."

"You need to loosen up," said Haruhi as she took another can off the ring. She then looked at Koizumi while holding the can up. "Want one?"

Koizumi appeared reluctant to agree. "…Sure."

After tossing one to Koizumi, Haruhi held another can towards Nagato. "Want one too, Yuki-chan?"

Nagato stared at the can of beer briefly before she methodically grabbed it from Haruhi's hand.

After that, Haruhi held out one more towards Asahina-san. "You take one too, Mikuru-chan!"

Asahina-san appeared the most hesitant to take the beer. "I…I don't know of I should. You know that alcohol doesn't agree with me."

"Come on, Mikuru-chan," pleaded Haruhi as she wrapped her arms around the time traveler. "Don't be such a party pooper. Surely you can handle one beer."

Asahina-san whimpered a little bit before swallowing and reaching for the beer. "O…okay. I guess one isn't so bad."

"That's the spirit! Let's party our brains out!" It was then that Haruhi took a can for herself and opened it. She then took a large swig from it before exhaling in satisfaction. "That's the stuff! Come on everyone! Drink up!"

Nagato was the first to comply, opening the can immediately and downing the whole can in one long chug.

"Wow, look at you go, Yuki-chan!" screamed Haruhi excitedly. "Now there's someone who knows how to party! Come on, everyone! No time like that present!"

Koizumi was next to open his beer and take a sip. Asahina-san also reluctantly opened her can and took a small sip, grimacing a bit afterward. At this point, I was the only one who hadn't opened my beer yet.

"What are you waiting for, Kyon?" asked Haruhi impatiently at she took another sip. "Hurry up and drink it!"

Stared down at the can. The memories of what happened last time I'd gotten drunk had faded quite a bit since it happened, and I could feel that my apprehension was also fading. It was then that I made a decision. Why the hell not? A lot of people drink to forget about their problems. Maybe for one night I could do the same. I then opened the can and took my first sip of beer. I was surprised by how terrible the taste was. "Is this what beer is supposed to taste like?"

"Of course, dummy!" said Haruhi as she took another sip. "What did you think beer tasted like?"

"I have no idea," I answered before taking another sip. Compared to the wine I drank last time I got drunk, beer wasn't nearly as easy to drink. "You act like you've tasted one before."

Haruhi nodded. "I had a sip of one of my dad's beers one time when he wasn't looking. It's not that bad."

I shook my head a bit before taking another sip. I decided to try my best to drink it down as quickly as I could. I figured the less time it took to get it down, the less I'd have to taste it.

It was at this point that everyone also joined in on trying to finish their beers, with the exception of Koizumi, who seemed content on taking his time with his. When Haruhi polished off her can, she turned back towards the mini-bar again to find something else to drink.

"Maybe we should try something stronger," said Haruhi as she began to try to decide between a bottle of sake or a bottle of whiskey. "Hmm, since I've never tried it before." She then grabbed the bottle of whiskey and grabbed a couple shot glasses. "Who else wants to try it?"

I reluctantly decided to join in and took the other shot glass. Haruhi poured her shot first before pouring mine as well. "Are you ready, Kyon?"

"You go first," I said, not really sure what to expect from the drink. I'd heard that hard liquors were pretty harsh to drink down.

"Baby," responded Haruhi as she looked at her shot glass on last time before drinking it down. Her face contorted violently before she began to cough. "Holy crap! It burns like hell!" She took a few more seconds to let the alcohol work its way down her esophagus. "Wow! That was rough! Your turn, Kyon! Do it!"

Seeing Haruhi's reaction to drinking the stuff did little to bolster my confidence. I began to stare down the small glass of brown liquid, swirling it a bit as I worked up the courage to drink it.

"Quit stalling! The faster you drink it down, the better it'll be!" yelled Haruhi as she pointed directly at me.

Taking one last deep breath, I quickly put the glass to my lips. I soon discovered that whiskey was about the least pleasant thing I've ever put in my mouth, and that includes the dirt I used to put in my mouth when I was a young kid. It had a bitterness that was beyond description, and it burned in ways I couldn't believe a drink could. It was all I could do to force it down.

"There you go, Kyon! How was it?"

"How do you think?"

Haruhi laughed a bit before pouring another shot. "Who wants to go next? Why don't you go, Yuki-chan, since you've already finished your beer?"

Nagato took the shot of whiskey and downed it effortlessly. She didn't so much as flinch as she swallowed it down.

Haruhi was rather impressed. "Wow, Yuki-chan! I can't believe you did that! You must come from a long line of alcoholics! You should be more careful if that's the case!"

It was then that Haruhi began to look around for something. She then got up and headed for the door. "I'll be right back!" She was gone for about a minute before returning with several more shot glasses in hand. She must've collected them from the mini-bar in her room. "I wanted all of us to share a round together!"

After that, Haruhi went and poured five shots at once and passed them all around to each of the members. The thought of taking another shot of the stuff was less than exciting, but since I wanted to get drunk fast, I figured I could endure it. I could already begin to feel the effects of the beer and the shot that I drank. My joints and lips tingled ever so slightly, and I felt a little bit light headed.

"Let's make a toast!" suggested Haruhi as she held up her shot glass. "To the SOS Brigade! May we continue to accomplish great things together!"

Hearing her say that brought back a little bit of the pain of knowing that I would not be involved in any of those "great things" after this trip. I tried to ignore that feeling as everyone clinked their glasses together and took their drink, with the exception of Asahina-san.

"I…I don't think I should drink this. I'm already starting to feel a little tipsy."

Haruhi frowned at Asahina-san after finishing her shot. "Come on, Mikuru-chan. Surely you can handle one more drink. I know you're a light weight, but this is a special occasion. Do it! Do it! Do it!"

Asahina-san stared down the drink nervously, perhaps more fearful of the drink's taste than its effects. After the bit of peer pressure from Haruhi, she finally gave in and quickly drunk the toxic brew. She gave a ridiculously cute grimace as she struggled to swallow it down. She coughed as well, obviously not enjoying the sensation it gave as it made its way to her stomach. "Yucky…"

"Alright!" cheered Haruhi. "Who wants another?!"

The party continued from there. Haruhi and I pounded down a couple more shots, while Nagato continued to drink the stuff like it was water. Just like the last time, no matter how much Nagato drank, she never seemed any different. Perhaps she was immune to its effects, but if that were the case, why bother? Never mind. Nagato could do whatever she wanted.

As for Koizumi, he decided not to drink any more and stated that he was okay as he was. I wondered if his responsibilities as part of the Organization required him not to drink an excessive amount of alcohol, or maybe he just doesn't like to drink. Either way, he was probably the only one who didn't go overboard.

Asahina-san on the other hand…

"Suzumiya-san…I'm really drunk…"

She was literally leaning on Haruhi's shoulder, as if she couldn't hold herself up. It had only been fifteen minutes since she took the shot of whiskey, and she was already completely smashed.

"Good." said Haruhi, who was also beginning to show the effects of inebriation. "I think you should take another shot."

"I don't know…" said Asahina-san as she stared out into space with a glassy-eyed expression. "I think it'd be too much."

"We'll never know unless we try," said Haruhi as she began to pour another shot for her.

However, before Haruhi could give the drink to her, Asahina-san laid back and closed her eyes. "I'm gonna go sleepy now."

Haruhi stared at Asahina-san with a pout before pointing directly at her. "Yooouuuu suck, Mikuru-chan!" She then turns towards the plate that Asahina-san was eating from. "As punishment, I'm gonna eat your food!" She then proceeds to scarf her face down on whatever was left on Asahina-san's plate.

After some more time had passed, Koizumi eventually offered to bring Asahina-san back to her room, stating that she'd had enough. Not long after that, Nagato also got up and returned to her room as well. This meant that it was only Haruhi and I. By now, we had both drunken enough to be legally intoxicated. The familiar sensation that being drunk gave had returned. My entire face was tingling now and my vision was hazy. I felt…surprisingly euphoric. Too bad I had to go to the bathroom once every ten minutes.

Haruhi was laying down on what was supposed to be my bed, her limbs sprawled out in several directions. "Sooooo drunk…"

"Yup," I said, not really wanting to move even though I was technically stealing Koizumi's bed. "Feels pretty good."

Haruhi rolled over onto her stomach to face me. She stared me down with a glassy-eyed expression. "We should do this more often."

"Do you think we'd get away with it?" I asked. Normally in my sober state of mind I would've rejected the idea of drinking all the time, but since my better judgment was long gone now, the idea seemed pretty good.

Haruhi got up onto her hands and knees and answered excitedly. "Maybe we could…hey, is Tsuruya eighteen yet?! Maybe we'll have her buy it and we can just drink at her place."

"Yeah…" I said in a barely coherent manner.

"She's rich an' stuff, so…like…she can totally get away with that! Rich people can get away with anything!"

"Yeah…"

"Are you listenin', Kyon? You…you need to listen. This is important. You hear me?"

"I hear you…"

Haruhi began to look around the room, almost looking confused. "Where'd everyone go?" She then crossed her arms and pouted. "Why are they all gone? We're supposed to be partying. Don't they realize how important this is?"

When I realized that Koizumi hadn't returned from bring Asahina-san to her room, I became suspicious myself. "What does Koizumi think he's doin'?"

"I don't know, but…" She then stood up from the bed in an awkward fashion, her balance seriously compromised. "They…they all…need to know that doing things together as a Brigade is important. As their Brigade Chief…" Haruhi took a few steps towards me and leaned in a little. "It's my job to keep an eye on all of you. You know what I'm saying? I...I have to make sure you're okay…cause I love you guys like my own family. I'd do anything for any of you. You guys are like the brothers and sisters I never had…you know?"

"Yeah…I know…" I said while clumsily pointing back at Haruhi. "Family's important."

"Yes! Every one of you! I love you all! No matter what! I love…you…"

Even in drunken state, I heart my heart racing the moment she said that.

And almost immediately Haruhi continued with what she was saying, as if trying to cover her tracks. "…I love Mikuru-chan. I love Yuki-chan, and I love Koizumi-kun. I love you all. Don't you ever forget that!"

I was still reeling from her statement a bit earlier, so I didn't immediately response. "…Yeah…"

"You're not listenin' are you, Kyon?" asked Haruhi in a tone that sounded almost offended. "You…you need to listen. This is from the heart." Haruhi leaned in even closer, to the point where I could smell the alcohol coming from her breath.

For whatever reason, I began to gloss over the features of her face, reminding myself just how beautiful they were. The thought of kissing her then returned to my head, and with the alcohol flowing through my veins, the inhibitions that would normally pop up whenever this desire would come were virtually non-existent. I realized that if she came any closer that I was going to go for it. I wanted to so badly.

Just before I was given the chance, though, Haruhi's cell phone rang. A puzzled expression came over Haruhi as she straightened up and reached into her pocket. When she looked at her cell phone to see who was calling, her eyes widened in horror. She then immediately looked at me. "It's my parents. Why are they calling? They've never called before."

As the phone continued to ring, I reflected on how badly this situation could be. Haruhi was drunk, and if she wasn't careful, they would find out. In the past, when they still thought that she was part of the Literary Club, they likely never felt that they need to call during a trip. But now that they knew better, they likely realized that their daughter could not necessary be trusted, and did what any rational parent would do.

Haruhi was now nearly in a drunken panic. "What should I do? Should I answer it?"

I had no answer for her. I had zero experience with dealing with situations like these. All I could do was shrug. It was like one of those scenes out of a bad comedy movie.

Haruhi looked at the phone once again as it continued to ring. She then reluctantly put her thumb on the send button and pressed it before putting the phone to her ear. "Hello? Hi mom…I'm okay…"

It was obviously from my end that she was trying painfully hard to hide the fact that she was drunk. It was actually really funny watching her like this, her glassy-eyed expression staring out into space while she talked with her mother. I wondered if she suspected anything.

"…Nope…We're all okay. Couldn't be better…yep…we walked all over that place and didn't find anything. Don' you worry, though, we're gonna find somethin'. Oh…no not yet. That's tomorrow…" Her eyes then darted at me for a second before quickly looking away. "…Don't worry…yeah…oh, dad wants to talk? Okay…"

Now we're really screwed. Despite Haruhi's attempt, anyone listening carefully could easily make out the slurring in her speech, and her father was a lot more perceptive than most. I couldn't help but laugh. I knew I shouldn't, but my drunken state made it so I wasn't thinking anything I was doing through.

Haruhi continued her valiant effort to fool her parents. "Hi, dad…I'm good…we're havin' fun…don't worry, I got everythin' under control…What? Oh…" She then leaned towards me with her hand over the phone before whispering. "He wants to talk to you."

Great! Now I had to try and hide the fact that I was drunk, and I had serious doubts that I could do it as well as Haruhi had. I hesitantly went and grabbed the phone before answering it. "Hello?"

"Are you guys alright?" asked Oruki in a suspicious tone.

Here goes nothing… "Yup…We're good."

Oruki paused a bit before continuing. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay…" I said, still trying as hard as I could to hide my intoxication.

"You remember telling me about that really bad thing that was supposed to happen, right?"

I paused a bit to figure out what he was talking about. "…yeah…"

"Has that bad thing happened yet?" His voice was full of concern.

"No…" I answered, not really sure what else to say.

"I see…"

"Don't…worry, Oruki…san. I'll take care of everythin'…Okay?"

I heard another pause from him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah…I'm awesome…" Crap, I was totally busted.

"Put my daughter back on," demanded Oruki.

I handed the phone back to Haruhi, fairly certain that I screwed up. I listened to Haruhi as she talked to her father.

"Yeah? Uh…he's just tired…uh huh…yeah…well, I'm getting tired, too…okay… goodnight dad…bye." She then shut her phone off, a look of relief on her face. "You think they knew?"

"I don't know," I replied, hoping for the best.

"Why'd he want to talk to you, anyway?" asked Haruhi with a drunken suspicion.

It took me a few seconds to come up with a sufficient lie. "He…he just wanted to be sure nothin' was goin' on."

"Oh," said Haruhi before she decided to plop herself diagonally on the bed I was laying on. "That was scary. Do you know what my dad would do to us if he knew?"

"He would kill us…especially me," I said. "Not like it matters for me though, cause I…" Crap! I almost let it slip!

"Cause what?" asked Haruhi.

Not good. What could I say? I couldn't tell her now. Even in my drunken state, I knew it was a horrible idea to tell Haruhi the truth about me leaving after this trip. I tried desperately to get out of telling her. "Cause……I need another drink…"

Fortunately, my diversionary tactic worked. Haruhi rolled onto her belly and pointed at me excitedly. "Good idea! More alcohol now!"

It was then that Haruhi and I polished off not one, but two more shots of whiskey each, all but completely emptying the bottle. In hindsight, it was a huge mistake. Before long, I was well beyond the realm of drunkenness and into the realm of being completely smashed.

Haruhi was also in the same boat, barely able to talk straight by this point. "I can' believe we almost drank all of it…I should finish it…"

"You've had too much already…" I said, starting to feel some dizziness hit me.

"No I haven'," said Haruhi as she tried to stand up. Her balance was all but completely shot at this point, and she was barely able to stand straight. "I…I could totally pass for being sober. I fooled my parents…right? Watch this…" She then attempts to stand on one foot. When I said "attempt," that was about all it was. Every time she tried, she would nearly fall over. She seemed undeterred by this though, as every time she nearly fell she would giggle a bit.

"I can tell…" I said with obvious drunken sarcasm.

Apparently, such sarcasm was lost to her in the state of mind she was in, as she continued as if she was doing fine. "See? I could totally do it. If I was pulled over while drivin', I could totally fool the police officer. I'd pass that drunken test easy." Her eyes widened in excitement. "Hey! We should totally practice the drunken test right now! That way when we finally start drivin', we can totally do it drunk an' not get caught!"

Of course, what she was saying was asininely stupid even by Haruhi's standards. However, I wasn't in the state of mind I needed to be in order to criticize her.

Haruhi began to motion me to get up. "Come on, Kyon! Let's practice! We can do it!"

I finally decide to get up off the bed. Unfortunately, I nearly fell over just from trying to get up. The both of us cracked up just from watching me fumble my way to where I was supposed to stand.

When I finally got into position, Haruhi held her hands out from her sides and began to try and balance on one foot again. "You…you gotta do it like this…You close your eyes and stand on one foot while you try to touch your nose." Haruhi attempted to demonstrate, but the fact that she soon fell on the floor was evidence that she failed miserably. Neither of us seemed to have cared as we just laughed away like idiots.

After Haruhi made it to her feet again, I went and put my hands out to attempt it. "My turn…" I barely lasted a second before I began to fall as well, only this time Haruhi tried to stop my fall by grabbing me. Her efforts to rescue me failed, and we both fell to the floor again, laughing our asses off. The laughing continued for a few more seconds before it stopped when we realized something…

…Haruhi was lying right on top of me…

Haruhi and I looked deeply into each other's eye…well…about as deeply as we could in our condition. We did this for a few seconds before Haruhi said something that took me by surprise.

"…You're kinda hot…"

I felt my eyes widen when I heard this. I knew even in my drunken state that she would never say anything like that while sober. I wasn't sure how I felt about it, as I wasn't in my right state of mind at that point.

However, just as I was about to say something, Haruhi spoke again. "…Just kiddin'…" It seemed that maybe Haruhi realized what she said and wanted to take it back. She then got off of me and looked away. "…Why would I say something like that? I should know better…"

I was rather annoyed by her statement, and as I sat up, I decided to get back at her. "Yeah…well…you're kinda hot…"

Haruhi smile smugly when I said that. "Oh really? Well…I knew that already…"

"…Just kidding…you're not hot at all!"

Haruhi stared drunken daggers at me when I said that. "Damn you, Kyon! You're gonna pay for that!" She then jump at me and began to wrestle with me.

For whatever reason, I started laughing again as she made attempts to strangle me, as if the idea that I pissed her off this much was hilarious. To be honest, I didn't think she really wanted to hurt me, and our wrestling got pretty playful after a while. I had to admit that even as smashed as she was, she was a formidable opponent. Not that I was much of an opponent, either, since I was easily as drunk as she was.

Unfortunately, our fun ended when she pushed me back, and I fell towards the desk nearby. My head smacked against the corner hard. Even in my desensitized state, it hurt like crazy.

Haruhi put her hand to her face and gasped in horror when she saw me hit the desk. "Oh my god! Are you okay?!"

"Ow…" was all I could say for a few seconds while I waited for the pain to subside for a bit. At this point, I had enough. I decided it was time to pack it in for the night. "I'm gonna lay down now." I then slowly crawled my way onto my bed.

"Sorry…" was the last thing I heard Haruhi say before I made it to my pillow. I couldn't remember anything else after that. I was soon passed out.

Overall, that night was a lot of fun, but little did I know that the next two days would test my will to its very limits. It would be a time I would never forget…

All I can say is that I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I promise that the next chapter will not take nearly as long to finish, even though it will be another difficult chapter to write.

Anyway, until next time, see ya!