Well, here's the next chapter all! Time to bring some unanswered questions and speculation to the table. Enjoy!
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I never imagined myself going on a monster hunt. Even with someone like Suzumiya-san.
But here I am; following her along like she's the leader of a marching band. We only arrived on this deserted island about an hour ago; and Suzumiya-san took no time in rounding us up once I had finished setting up our "base camp." We all stood in front of her; as she seemed to be planning our next course of action in her head. Sometimes I wonder what goes on underneath all that hair…
Wait a second. I think I was already inside her head recently. Never mind then.
"Alright SOS Brigade; I have a plan!"
Of course you do. Let's hope it's not doomed to miserably fail.
"We're splitting ourselves up to cover more ground. Koizumi-kun and Mikuru-chan; you'll be Group Beta. Me, Kyon and Yuki are going to be Group Alpha. Itsuki, Mikuru-chan; you two are going to explore the west side of the island. The rest of Group Alpha and I are going to cover the east side. If we're lucky; we'll be able to find the Kongamato's nesting place before nightfall!" Haruhi said to us, in a voice that made it sound like she had devised a perfect and foolproof plan.
I couldn't help but challenge her authority just a little bit. This was already sounding like disaster in the making.
"I don't mean to ruin the already flawless plan you've concocted, Haruhi; but what are we supposed to do if we do find this Kongamato? Unless you already have that part covered."
Haruhi turned to me as if I had asked a stupid question. I can only imagine that the notion of "I'm right and Kyon's wrong" was running through her head faster than a roadrunner on steroids. Her eyes dilated as she spoke to me; her voice commanding.
"We're going to capture it; is what we're going to do!"
I watched Suzumiya-san push past me; determination painted on her face. She stopped in front of the bag of things I had been forced to carry it in; picking it up and literally letting the rest of its contents fall all over the ground. There was quite a lot more inside that bag than I had previously thought. No wonder it was so heavy.
Haruhi's eyes scanned the pile of things strewn in front of her; until a smile lit up on her face as she found exactly what she was looking for. She picked up the said objects; displaying them for all of us to see.
"I think these will serve their purpose. We'll catch that monster in no time. And when we do; we'll get so much media attention that the SOS Brigade will become an international phenomenon!"
After hearing Suzumiya-san's plans for the expansion of the Brigade's influence; I couldn't help but be speechless at the objects she was holding. Haruhi had six scrawny wooden nets in her arms. They looked more suitable for catching butterflies than catching a giant pterodactyl. It was obvious that Suzumiya-san has no idea what she's doing at all. For all we know; she could get us killed with something like this. Or worse; she could get herself killed.
Even the though it's a dangerous thought; I could not always help but wonder what the world might be like without God. Is it even possible for any of us to exist without the influence that Suzumiya-san provides? According to Itsuki; the universe as we know it might have only began three years ago, so it could be very likely that without Haruhi's god-like power; we wouldn't exist at all.
Eh, it's just a stray thought. There's no possibility of that kind of thing ever happening.
Not now; not ever.
But now I was looking at Haruhi again. And the six nets she plans on providing to us so we can capture this Kongamato.
I sighed. This was not going to be fun at all.
I can only expect that Suzumiya-san had split us up for a reason. She had probably wanted me with her the entire time. But can I blame her? We are "together" now. Unless it's all in my head; and we didn't kiss all those times.
This island certainly had a thick forest; to say the least. Suzumiya-san had each given us one of her "monster-hunting" nets, along with walkie-talkies; and it was then that we had split up into our two groups. We were now in the process of searching for this Kongamato. If it even existed on this island in the first place.
The color green surrounded me as I followed Haruhi deeper into the island. This place was certainly warm; and I could have even said it had a strange tropical feel to it. As we continued to walk; I kept getting this weird feeling that we were descending into some sort of lost world.
This was scary; to say the least. I've read Arthur Conan Doyle's book. My mind was already imagining carnivorous dinosaurs leaping at us from the foliage; before dragging each of us away to our dooms.
I had to keep my mind of the subject. I had to do something to stop myself from becoming this nervous. So; I pulled out a book from my pocket. It was one I had procured from Haruhi's collection earlier in the day. It contained information about this Kongamato. And it could keep me occupied.
Haruhi was still leading us; having not said a single word since we began walking. I was surprised. I expected her mouth to be going constantly by now. But she remained quiet this whole time. Yuki had been following us as well; except her eyes had been glued to a book the entire time. She had managed to perfectly keep up with us; all while still being completely enamored with her book.
I started flipping through the pages of the book in my hand. There was information that sounded boring; explaining sightings of the Kongamato dating back to the early 1900's. But as I skimmed; I caught something that immediately made my eyes dilate. I looked up from the book; stopping in mid-walk.
"Wait a second. They saw this thing in Africa? Why the hell are we looking for it if it's on another continent?" I asked, obviously very confused. If I was correct; we were on a wild goose chase; and Suzumiya-san had been fully aware of it the entire time. Haruhi stopped at my exclamation; turning to face me. The look in her eyes was just the same as before.
"And so what? It could still be here. We won't know unless we find out."
"This says the sightings were in Congo. And that's if the thing exists at all. What makes you think we're going to find it in some deserted island off the coast of Japan?" I ask; using the book as my undeniable source of truth. Haruhi still seems unconvinced; putting her hands on her hips as she simply glares at me.
"Listen, Kyon. We're going to find the Kongamato. I'm sure of it."
The words that came out of Suzumiya-san's mouth sparked nothing but worry in my mind. Not only were we going out ill-prepared; but we were going out on a limb in the first place. I didn't expect us to be completely off track in our search for this creature. I had managed to give Haruhi a little more credit than she actually deserved.
I sighed. There was nothing to do in this situation except follow along as always.
"Fine." I replied; satisfying Haruhi as she turned around and led our way again. We'd been on a makeshift path the entire time; and I myself was surprised that we weren't cutting away foliage that was in our way. Suzumiya-san just seemed content with leading us like we were her obedient soldiers. It was amazing to note how Yuki had been able to perfectly follow us this entire time; and not once did I see her eyes leave the novel she was reading. As she was an alien; I should have guessed her capable of such things.
I held the wooden net in my hand; walking a little faster so I could be right next to Haruhi. She didn't notice me at first; her eyes having been occupied more with her surroundings. She really wants to find this Kongamato.
And knowing that Suzumiya-san could easily wish it to be true; I might be expecting a giant pterodactyl to fly over us anytime soon.
"Even if we end up empty-handed, Kyon; we're still not here to fool around. This is a club activity that requires diligence and patience." Haruhi said next to me; her face determined to catch any sight of this mythical beast we were currently searching for.
It's interesting to note that while Haruhi has much diligence; she lacks patience. She lacks a lot of patience; in fact.
Truthfully, I had never mentioned much about fooling around; but it seems that Haruhi has to always find a reason to say something to me. She's always got to find something that I'm doing wrong; or that I'm about to do wrong. To anyone else; it would not only be annoying; but it would certainly make the said person keep their distance from Suzumiya-san.
"Lighten up. It's not like we can't have a tiny ounce of a good time while we're here." I replied; my hand beginning to subtly wrap around Haruhi's.
This sudden display of affection seemed to almost catch her by surprise. I didn't see her blush; but I watched as her eyes scanned what I was doing; as if it was against the law. She almost looked like she was about to pull away; until I felt her own hand relax in mine. Only a few weeks ago; I don't think I would have the nerve to such things as holding Haruhi's hand. I had always expected physical harm to myself from doing things like that.
And so; Suzumiya-san and I continued to go forward into this wilderness, with Yuki behind us. The silent alien seemed to take no notice to the surrounding situation at all; as she was pre-occupied enough with the book she was currently reading.
I merely enjoyed Haruhi's company during this time. There was no noise except the sounds of birds every now and then; so this walk seemed quite serene and calm. I could easily tell that although Suzumiya-san was making it look like she was still alert; she had also begun to relax herself. The atmosphere around us was quite peaceful; to say the least.
Until something had to ruin it. And that something was the same something that Suzumiya-san had wanted to find this entire time.
It was a loud noise; and it emanated ahead. If I put my finger on what it might have sounded like; I would have said that someone decided to stick their head in a foghorn and scream as loud as they possibly could. It wasn't ear-splitting; but it still ended up being more like a bleating noise.
Suzumiya-san's calm and indifferent face went up with inexhaustible energy at the sound. She let go of my hand instantly; already running into a full sprint towards the source; which she assumed to be behind a patch of verdant ferns ahead.
"It's the Kongamato!" Haruhi screamed in joy; her shoes kicking up dirt and debris as she literally sprinted ahead of me. I couldn't help but follow her; my own legs moving me as I struggled to keep up.
"Wait up! I can't run that fast!"
My pleas were in vain; as Haruhi had stopped listening to me at this point. I watched her go into the ferns; and I could already hear her begin to screech loudly. If she hadn't made it sound so girlish; I would have said she could have been in grave danger.
Ignoring the fact we were leaving Yuki behind; I followed; pushing the various ferns past my face as I intended to find Haruhi.
"I SAW IT!!!" Suzumiya-san exclaimed in my face; nearly giving me a heart attack. The fact that I had been still huffing for air from the sprint; along with some amount of fear, caused me to go falling backwards. At the same token: Suzumiya-san attempted to stop me from falling; but ended up toppling forward herself.
The result was exactly as I had expected. Suzumiya-san had landed right on top of me; and I knew that we were both blushing just as madly as the other by the fact our faces were just as close as our bodies were. I was waiting for the blood to just burst out of my nose; mostly because this exact situation could have been an actual scene from whatever teenage fantasies might have recently plagued my dreams. Haruhi didn't seem to have the urge to get up just yet; as she was in the process of staring at my eyes. Everything was suddenly beginning to feel warm…
It wasn't so bad. I kind of liked this closeness. But in a forest on some uninhabited island; it seemed quite strange and out of place.
"This is kind of awkward." I said; breaking the silence between us. Haruhi blinked; her eyes shimmering as if she didn't understand my statement. The dirt beneath me suddenly felt very comfortable; and I found my own eyes unable to avert themselves from the details of Suzumiya-san's face. The warm blush on my cheeks must have been very obvious at this point.
"I don't see a problem. Unless you're not in a comfortable position on the ground there, Kyon. I can always just move a bit."
The words that emanated from Haruhi's mouth could be taken several ways; but I assume most could guess how they were taken most of the time. This situation was one that I had not expected; and the fact that Suzumiya-san seemed to be enjoying the awkwardness of it all wasn't helping the embarrassment I was undergoing.
A strange girl has strange ways of dealing with things like this. Suzumiya-san was no exception to this rule.
I think I'd rather be searching for the Kongamato right now. This was almost too intense for my tastes.
But my thoughts were suddenly interrupted; by a robotic-sounding, monotone voice nearby.
"I am confused. Is this some sort of mating ritual in the making?"
As a human interface; Yuki Nagato was always frank about the things she said, whenever she said them. It didn't take long before I felt Suzumiya-san suddenly get up off me; dusting herself off as she did so. I could see her own face was red at Yuki's exclamation.
I had no words to say about why Haruhi had been on top of me seconds ago; and I just gave Yuki an equally speechless look as I stood up from the ground as well. With this situation occurring; I could not also help but wonder what Koizumi and Mikuru were doing this very moment, if they were actually doing any searching at all.
I wouldn't be surprised if they were both……
Never mind. Itsuki wouldn't dare take advantage of Mikuru-chan if he knows what's good for him…
Another sound coming from ahead sparked Suzumiya-san's interest. It sounded like another bleat as before. I was waiting for her to run; until something caught my eye that I almost couldn't believe.
From the trees ahead; I watched as something large dove upwards; one of its wings exposed enough out of the many plants ahead. The large wing was a orange dirt color; and it looked nothing like the wing of any bird I had ever seen. My eyes had probably dilated to their max; and I had no time to react as I watched Haruhi suddenly go into hot pursuit of the thing we had just caught a glimpse of.
Normally: I must have yelled at Suzumiya-san to stop; but I realized this was a useless attempt, as she wouldn't listen to any of my warnings. So, I followed her; my breath already exhausted enough from our previous sprint. Yuki seemed to just watch us as we ran; and I assumed that she would catch up in her own time.
When I finally found Haruhi behind a clump of foliage that blocked my view; I saw her.
But I didn't expect seeing her like this.
Suzumiya-san was sitting on the ground; blankly staring ahead as if in disbelief. I looked to where she was staring; waiting to see the massive Kongamato that was ready to swallow us all us. I had seen what looked like a wing; and as much as I was usually a disbeliever of such things; that one gargantuan wing had surely convinced me.
But it was not there. Instead; there was nothing but a tall, white crane in front of us. It stood in a shallow pond; washing its feathers off. The crane turned to look at us; gazing in our direction as if we were curious objects. Haruhi couldn't stop staring at it; and I was confused myself; waving my hands in front of her eyes when I approached her.
There was no sign of what might have been the Kongamato at all. No sounds nearby; and I didn't even see anything that might signify that such a large creature had passed through here.
But I'm not crazy. I had just seen a titanic wing before! What the hell was going on here?
Perhaps it was some sort of ambush. In a few seconds; I could expect something to grab hold of my head; before tearing it off without second thought. But such a creature did not attempt to ambush me in the next seconds; so I brushed off the said notion.
"I saw it. I know I saw it." Haruhi said to me in a bland voice. She looked like a child who had received a failing grade on a spelling test; her perfect face now wrought with confusion and anguish.
"Maybe it was just that crane…" I replied; pointing at the said bird. I was lying to her and myself at this point. The wing we had both seen looked nothing like what that white crane had attached to its body. There was definitely something we had missed. But something inside my mind was preventing me from exclaiming that fact.
"BUT I SAW IT! IT WAS THERE!" Suzumiya-san suddenly shouted in anger; standing up; her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her expression was nothing short of furious and distraught. I could only imagine her mood being so high before; and now all hopes of finding this creature had come crashing down. And with her hopes; her once-good mood had become sour.
Though it had no bearing on the current situation; I couldn't help but think that all of this seemed oddly familiar to what those conspiracy theorists say about seeing things that they found out to be false. Such as an UFO or something similar. And whether or not they actually have credibility; they always attempt to make it sound like some sort of big government cover-up.
I couldn't help but feel sorry for Haruhi. In an attempt to possibly make her feel better and take her mind away from her loss, I moved closer; my mind focused on wrapping her in an embrace and holding her tight.
But she roughly and angrily pushed me away before I could get do so. Her mind was probably in more rage than I could even imagine. There was certainly a part of me that felt this had been doomed to occur; but another part of me that couldn't help but become angry about Haruhi's failure. A part of me that had wanted her wish fulfilled.
But it seemed that even as the God she was; she still wasn't able to fulfill her own wish of even getting a full glimpse of the Kongamato.
I could already see that Suzumiya-san was struggling to keep tears in.
The crane proceeded to look back at her; and unless I'm crazy; it seemed like it was mocking her. It moved in such a way that it looked like it was trying to convey some sort of expression. Before I could move to do anything; the bird flew off; causing a little water to splash from the pond it had been residing in before it disappeared in the distance.
I had no words for Suzumiya-san. She still looked angry; and my assumptions were clarified when I watched her punch a nearby tree with her fist. I already guessed that it wouldn't take long for her to call back Mikuru and Itsuki. I also had a feeling she might decide to just cut this trip short; as she had already failed in finding the Kongamato.
I turned; only to see that Yuki had been watching the exact spot where the white crane had been this entire time. It almost looked like she had been analyzing the said creature. I felt like saying something; but no words came out of my mouth. There wasn't much I could really say at this point.
And so; I remained silent. I left Haruhi to take out her rage on a nearby tree; which she proceeded to kick and punch with every fiber of her being. She tore off branches in her utter rage; even going so far to bite one off with her teeth. The sight might have been funny a few months ago; but it was almost depressing now.
So I didn't watch. My mind was still wondering where that massive wing had come from, and if it really belonged to the said Kongamato. We had both seen it; and I know I wasn't insane for realizing it had been there. But where had it gone? This all sounded like a conspiracy to me.
I sighed. I guess strange things just come to Haruhi like moths to a flame. And I'm not surprised at all.