Brought to you by my Jman!

Beta'd and edited by The Grand Cogitator and Dr Feelgood

Groaning, Sasaki picked herself up off the ground, spitting dirt out of her mouth as she did so. She had to wipe her mouth off with the back of her hand, looking around in perplexity at where she was. Distant mountains capped with snow looked normal enough,but not any peaks she recognized. The sky was blue, but looked washed out, like it did on a really bad air pollution day. The plants looked slightly brown and lifeless, and everything felt just slightly withered to her.

"What did we do now?" Sasaki asked plaintively, sitting up on her knees. She winced slightly, they were skinned and her entire body felt bruised, but she didn't feel like anything was broken.

"Sasaki?"

She turned to see Kyoko staggering up to her feet, looking as dazed as Sasaki felt. "You're alright! After what happened…actually, what did happen?"

"I'm not sure," Sasaki said slowly, a slow sense of dread rising in the pit of her stomach. This place looked alien, but at the same time…she felt as though she should remember it. The very thought made her want to cry, and she scrubbed her forearm across her face. She smiled at Kyoko, who was blearily looking at the washed-out landscape. "But we're alive."

"BWAHAHAHAH! I EMERGE VICTORIOUS YET AGAIN! TRULY, I AM THE FOREMOST GENIUS OF THE CRIMSON DEMON CLAN!"

Despite her trepidation, a smile tugged at Sasaki's lips, and she and Kyoko managed to stagger up to the crest of the low hill they were on, where they found Komekko posing atop a small rock.

"Now, my minions!" Komekko declared, putting a "V" sign by her left eye with her right hand. "We shall conquer Belzerg!" Komekko grinned broadly, her teeth sparkling in the odd light. Then she frowned, spinning about on one heel. "That is, once I figure out where we are…"

"Did you actually just isekai us?" Kyoko asked, looking around. She suddenly smiled, her eyes losing focus. "I remember when Itsuki and I would talk about where we'd want to get isekai'd…I always said Pokemon. He argued that a proper fantasy world like Dragon Quest would be better."

"Pokemon is the superior option if you want to live somewhere interesting I suppose, but I'd rather live somewhere without superpowered monsters controlling things," Sasaki said with a shrug. "So, are we in Belzerg, Komekko?"

"Well if we are, it appears to be some unknown part of Belzerg, one I am not familiar with. Perhaps we are on another continent?" Komekko ventured, her tone questioning.

"I thought you were conquering the world or something. Shouldn't you have a better grasp of geography?" Kyoko asked skeptically.

Komekko turned and glared at the other girl. "Hey! One step at a time! Everyone knows Belzerg has the strongest Adventurers, not to mention the most powerful of magic users in the Crimson Demon Clan! Once it fell to me, the rest of the world would have been easy!"

"Sounds like you just started where you lived, and were at best a provincial problem," Sasaki said, giving Komekko a flat look. "Regardless, you're the one who brought us here. And I have little desire to live in a strange fantasy world."

"Hmph. Well, at least my levels are back," Komekko muttered, looking around. She sniffed the air, then frowned. "Something's wrong though. The mana here…it's all stale. It doesn't taste very filling."

"I…sense something off as well," Sasaki admitted. "Everything looks…dull. Like the color got taken away."

"Really?" Kyoko looked around, seeming puzzled. "It looks normal enough to me."

That made Sasaki frown, and she looked up at the sky again. Was it really washed out? Or was it just…a haze of some sort? Like the light had lost its health and warmth. "Really? Nothing seems off about this place to you? It doesn't feel normal to me."

"If you say so," Kyoko said with a shrug. She looked around, frowning in puzzlement. "What do we do now?"

Komekko hopped off her small rock and put an arm around Sasaki's shoulders. "Don't sweat it, she's just a mortal. We can tell something's fishy about this place."

"I suppose. Do you have an idea of how to get us home?" Sasaki asked Komekko, shrugging out from under her arm.

"I suppose I can try, I just have to borrow your goddess powers again, they seem to have worn off," Komekko said, smiling greedily at Sasaki and licking her lips.

"Woah, hey, do you really want to be giving phenomenal cosmic powers to someone who's a self proclaimed BBEG?" Kyoko said, stepping between the two.

"What is this 'Bee bee Eee Gee?'" Komekko asked suspiciously. "Does it involve an epic backstory?"

"Big Bad Evil Guy. You know, the final boss monster that threatens reality or whatever," Kyoko said, folding her arms over her chest.

That made Komekko chortle in pleasure. "Oh yes, I am most certainly a BBEG! I shall add that to my titles."

"Are you sure you're evil? Because you were pretty broken up about killing Darkness," Kyoko said, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Komekko winced slightly but began to bluster nonetheless. "Well, I mean, I knew her. I've killed other people but they were just annoying. Darkness is like my cool auntie and I was rather upset about killing her. But since she's alive, obviously I did nothing wrong!"

"I will consent to grant you my power to take us home. I do not wish to see my father harmed," Sasaki said, holding out her hand.

"Huh, thought you didn't like the guy. I mean, I didn't want to kill my dad but I did punish him, just a little. He was a pretty crappy dad," Komekko said, taking Sasaki's hand.

"My father sacrificed me to a demon for power, once. I think he has yours beat," Sasaki said, feeling a tearing in her chest again. She blinked away the tears, and frowned at Komekko. "Well?"

"That's…weird," Komekko said, holding Sasaki's hand up and examining it. She experimentally leaned forward, then bit one of Sasaki's fingers hard enough to draw blood.

"OW!" Sasaki yipped, yanking her hand away.

"BACK OFF, BITCH!" Kyoko snarled, raising both her hands. She blinked, then looked at her palms. "Huh? Why doesn't it work?"

"Mmm, it still tastes like goddess, but there's hardly any power," Komekko said, thoughtfully licking her lips. "That's probably your problem, Kyoko. She was the source of your abilities, right?"

"Yes," Kyoko said slowly, a look of pure terror coming over her face. She backed up to Sasaki, slowly pushing her away. "Um, you're not going to, ah…Sasaki maybe we should just-"

"Oh, I see the problem!" Komekko laughed. She grabbed both girl's hands, her strength rather terrifying despite her rather waifish frame. "You don't have any levels or classes! Let me fix that: GRANT STATUS!"

Something washed over Sasaki, and she sucked in a breath as power flooded through her. She fell to her hands and knees, trembling as numbers and menus flashed across her vision. When it cleared, a small card lay on the ground between her hands, a drawing of herself in profile on iti with an obon mask showing Okame, her face half hidden.

"Sasaki! Sasaki, are you alright?" Kyoko said, frantically kneeling down beside her.

"That's new. You OK, Sasaki?" Komekko asked, squatting down as well. She sounded actually concerned. "I'm starting to think of you as a real friend…"

"Thanks," Sasaki panted. She accepted Komekko's helping hand, and picked up her card, standing. "I think of you as a friend as well."

"Plus, the last Devil King had a fallen goddess as a general! And I totally want to have one myself! Wolbach hardly counts any more, she mostly just sleeps," Komekko said, making a face.

"Ah," Sasaki said, forcing a wan smile on her face. She studied her card, examining her characteristics. They were all hilariously inflated, except for Wisdom, which was listed as a 6. That was rather pathetic and somewhat embarrassing, though Sasaki didn't FEEL like she was maxed out in all characteristics.

"Wow, yours are really high," Kyoko observed. She looked over her own card, then showed it to Komekko. "Are these good?"

"Hmm, not bad. You've got higher stats in Intelligence and Charisma, but your Dex, Strength, and Con aren't bad. Wisdom is a dump stat anyway. You should choose Wizard! You can reclass to Arch-Wizard later!" Komekko said excitedly. She touched a button on Kyoko's card, then gasped in delight.

"What? Oh, that's cool. I have Esper as a class option as well as Wizard and Monk," Kyoko said. Then her expression darkened. "Unless that's a reference to my lack of romantic success."

"You have to take Esper! I've never seen that as a class option! Unique classes are simply incredible! I myself had to work long and hard to unlock Devil Queen as a class, but you have been chosen by Destiny to bear a terrible fate from a young age!" Komekko said eagerly.

"Aren't you sixteen too?" Kyoko asked, tapping the Esper class.

"Well, yes, but it cost me a lot of dinners summoning Hoost," Komekko said dismissively.

"I have…Priestess," Sasaki said, holding up her card. It felt…somehow lacking.

"Not even an arch priestess? Hmph, how utterly banal. Well, you might as well, it's better than nothing," Komekko told her.

"I suppose," Sasaki said and picked the class. She felt a rush of power, and blinked. She just…knew some things now. She knew she could cast Heal and that it would bind up wounds, though it didn't do much against infections or poison. She could also cast a few other spells, like Turn Undead or Flash, and what the requirements for them were.

"Is that what happened to you one day?" Sasaki asked, turning to Kyoko. "You just woke up and…knew you had powerful abilities?"

"Pretty much. Weird that it took this long to happen to you though," Kyoko mused. She turned to Komekko. "Well? Now what?"

"Uh, I'm not sure," Komekko admitted, frowning at Sasaki. "I thought that maybe that would unlock her powers, but… no. It's weird, I can sense them, but it's like…they're distant. Far away."

"I don't sense anything," Sasaki said, looking around. She shivered slightly, still feeling as though things were wrong. She even felt slightly lightheaded, as if she wasn't getting enough oxygen or something. Everything felt anemic and weak.

"Well, there's nothing for it," Komekko said with a sigh. She pointed downslope, where the outlines of fields could be seen, and what appeared to be a few low structures. "I guess we go that way. If nothing else, they should have food. I'm starving!"

"Just don't try to eat me again," Sasaki sighed.

"Nah, I never went in for cannibalism. It is doubtful that humans would be all that delectable anyway," Komekko said, and walked off down the slope.

"Do you ever worry about her?" Kyoko asked as they headed after Komekko.

"Yes, but then again, she's not all that much stranger than my cousin," Sasaki said with a sigh. Absently, she wondered what Haruhi was up to.

Looking around the Adventurer's guild, Haruhi couldn't help but feel deeply disappointed. Here she was in a fantasy world, and all they were doing was sitting around drinking and talking about old times. Yes, it was cool that her parents were letting her drink, even if this was the young and dumb version of her folks, but it just wasn't the same.

"Why does everyone look so depressed?" Haruhi demanded of Luna. She was standing over by the reception window, having gotten antsy and tired of the discussion at the table.

The overly endowed older woman looked up from her paperwork, and Haruhi could see the crows feet and worry lines around her eyes. "Well, even though the Devil Queen's army was defeated…there were still a lot of people killed, and there were a lot of stragglers. That group of imps and their oni leaders are just one of the many headaches the guild has."

"Are there more? Can we go hunt them?" Haruhi asked eagerly, excited at the prospect of another quest.

"Not in this area. I imagine from what Kazuma has been saying you'll be traveling onward shortly," Luna said. She sighed. "It's too bad. Things have been, well, rather depressing here lately…I was sort of hoping Aqua would put on a magic show, maybe draw a crowd like in the old days. I could use a night of laughter."

A lightbulb went on in Haruhi's head, and she glanced over to where Kazuma, Aqua, and their apparently old friends were still deep in conversation, then over to the table where her SOS Brigade were still on their first round of drinks.

Well, OK, it had only been about 10 minutes since they'd gotten their cards, but Haruhi was already bored. A fantasy world should be more exciting!

And if people needed some joy in their lives…well, no matter how much weirdness had happened, that was one thing she could fix!

She walked over to the table, an idea already sparking in her mind. Kyon and Yuki were holding hands and making moon eyes at one another, while Mikuru was sipping her drink and looking around curiously. They were also obviously bored and lacked something to do, so Haruhi would fix that too!

"LISTEN UP!" Haruhi shouted, slamming her hands down onto the table so hard it vibrated. "WHO ARE WE!?"

Kyon gasped and jumped, putting a hand to his heart, while Mikuru jumped up like a startled cat. She was cute when she was nervous.

Nagato, however, was nonplussed as ever. Haruhi had always figured she was autistic or something, but her being an alien did explain a lot. "We are the Spreading Excitement Throughout the World With Haruhi Suzumiya Brigade."

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Haruhi declared, pointing up to the sky. "And this town is in need of some EXCITEMENT! And it's our job to provide it!" She gestured to the rest of the room, who had been buzzing with conversation, though a lot of them looked weary and downtrodden despite the interest of strangers in town, and someone coming back from the dead. "Look at them all! They need our help! We have to make things interesting, you hear!"

"Haruhi, we just got here! This is another world. I hardly think that we should embark on one of your weird schemes," Kyon sighed, leaning back on the table.

"That's where you're wrong, mister! No matter what world we're on, it's our job to spread excitement and make it interesting! And, since everyone here looks so bored, we have to do something to make their lives interesting!"

"Like what? Invent mayo?" Kyon turned to Luna, who had come over behind Haruhi, looking concerned. "Hey, Miss Luna. You know what Mayo is?"

"Ah, yes, we have it on the menu if you'd like some," Luna said, dry washing her hands nervously. "Could you please keep it down? We have few enough customers so-"

"Luna!" Haruhi said, spinning around, already feeling the rush, the drive, the EXCITEMENT of a new plan coming over her. "I need your help. You are being deputized as a member of the SOS Brigade!"

"Uh, I'm not sure what-"

"We need booths! Pavilions! Tents! And most importantly, ingredients to cook food with!" Haruhi declared. "I am putting you in charge of refreshments and dining options at the First Annual SOS Brigade Day Festival!"

"Er, I hardly think-" Luna began, but Haruhi sidled up to her, putting one arm around the older woman's shoulders.

"Look, Luna. Sales have been falling, right?" Haruhi asked, dropping her voice to a whisper.

"Well, yes, I suppose our sales volume hasn't been as high, but-"

"And there's one good way to get sales to pick up! MARKETING! You get these guild girls out there hawking your wares at a festival, and I just KNOW that things will pick up for you!"

"Well, um, I-"

"I can help Luna with the costumes," Mikuru volunteered. She blushed, holding up her Adventurers card. "Um, Tailoring - Party Outfits is one of my new skills…I think I can whip up some bunny girl outfits."

"Now just a moment!" Luna huffed, trying to pull away from Haruhi. "I did not agree to dress up as some provocative-"

"You know, they say the bunny is a sign of fertility. In Japan, we have a saying that maidens who dress up as bunny girls in the spring are brides by summer," Haruhi said conspiratorially.

Luna paused in her tirade. "Really?"

Haruhi nodded. "Every woman who has worn a bunny costume sewn by Mikuru has ended up with a boyfriend or girlfriend in mere months. It works every time."

"Well, I suppose…yes! A festival would help pick up sales!" Luna clapped her hands. "Girls! Emergency staff meeting!"

"And the rest of you!" Haruhi said, turning to the Adventurers at the tables. They all blinked at her, and she grinned, hopping up on a table. "We need booths and stalls built, pronto! Go gather wood, and bring it to the town square to start building! If you're not sure what it's supposed to look like, ask Kazuma! He's got the Carpentry Skill, and he knows EXACTLY how to make a festival booth!"

"Now wait just a minute!" Kazuma piped up. "I'm busy here, I did not-"

"Do you or do you not have the Carpentry skill?" Haruhi demanded, planting her hands on her hips.

Kazuma flushed slightly. "Well, yeah, I mean-"

"Good!" Haruhi had mostly been guessing at that one, but her dad HAD helped build the festival booths every year, and he seemed to be pretty handy with a hammer and saw, so it had been a safe gamble. "You get these folks organized and building straight away!"

"Why should I-" Kazuma began, but Aqua jumped to her feet.

"That sounds like a great idea! A party will motivate everyone!" she produced two paper fans appearing in her hands as she began to direct traffic. "Come on, everyone! Let's get started! A festival, right here in town!"

"It's been a while," one Adventurer admitted, scratching the stubble on his chin. "I remember the last proper Axis and Eris day festival…there was even a swimsuit competition…"

"I did not agree to this!" Kazuma protested, but Haruhi sprang over to his table, whispering in his ear,

"Aqua in a swimsuit. Luna too."

Flushing, Kazuma stood. "Fine! Twist my arm…"

Nodding, Haruhi watched as Kazuma led the Adventurers off, Mikuru taking the Guild Girls to get started on food and bunny costumes. "Not you, Aqua! I need you for something else."

"OK! What are we doing?" Aqua asked eagerly. "I want to reestablish that the Axis Cult can get things done, and that I'm the best-"

"No, this is the SOS Brigade Festival. We can do one for your own cult later," Haruhi said dismissively. "No, what we need are festival games and activities! You're a pretty fun person, plus, if you really are my mom, you know all about party games and favors."

"Yep! The Axis Cult has the best parties! Oh, we can have goldfish fishing, face painting, fireworks, skeeball, target shooting-"

"No guns!" Haruhi said, shaking her head firmly. "This is a fantasy world! Absolutely no guns!"

"Duh, that's like, a high crime! No, I mean with bows, like a proper fantasy world," Aqua said, nodding in agreement.

"Perfect! You get started on that right away! I want to see lots of fun festival games!" Haruhi ordered, pointing towards the door.

"You got it, Chief!" Aqua said, saluting, then running off with a wide grin on her face.

"As for the two of you!" Haruhi said, grinning maniacally and turning to Kyon and Yuki.

"Oh no," Kyon groaned, but a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"What is a festival without an IDOL COMPETITION!? Yuki, we must have a battle of the bands again! I want the two of you to set up a stage and get a performance going," Haruhi ordered. "Of course, we shall reprise our role as Headliners, singing our hit single, God Knows!"

Yuki nodded. "We shall require a drummer and guitarist."

"Aqua probably knows how to play guitar, and Kyon knows how to play the drums," Haruhi said with a wave of her hand.

"What?! I do not! I haven't ever played an instrument in-"

Haruhi pressed her thumb to Kyon's forehead, and he paused. She stepped back, smiling. "Well?"

Absently, Kyon picked up a knife and fork from the table, and then drummed out a rapid beat. He turned to Haruhi, an expression of pure disbelief on his face, still holding the knife and fork loosely, as if they were drumsticks. "How did you…?"

"I dunno, I just did. You're a part of the SOS Brigade, so I knew I could grant you an ability you needed in service to the Brigade!" Haruhi said, tossing her hair. "Now get going!"

"Er, sure," Kyon agreed. He looked to Yuki. "Well, I guess if I have to be in a band, one with you won't be so bad. And you know what they say about drummers."

Yuki's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "That they maintain a steady beat?"

"No, that they're animals in the sack," Haruhi said, giving them both a shove as Kyon went bright red.

"I was going to say they keep the band on pace! Not-" Kyon babbled.

"It is alright. I will evaluate your romantic performance later," Yuki said, taking Kyon by the sleeve and dragging the thunderstruck boy away. She paused at the door. "That is only partially a joke. I will not provide a grade afterwards."

"Oh. Uh, ha ha?" Kyon managed, and then they were gone.

Tossing her hair, Haruhi smiled. She had, of course, left the real job to herself. Recruiting people for the festival.

"Sorry I'm late!" a breathy voice gasped. A slender silver-haired girl with purple eyes in a green mantle, tube top, and booty shorts dashed in. She looked around, confused. "Where did everyone…?"

"Perfect!" Haruhi said, going forward. She slapped an armband onto the girl's left bicep and grinned. "I needed a hand!"

"Wait, are you…? Hold on, I need to find Kazuma and Aqua so we can-" the girl began, but Haruhi trampled right over her.

"No time! We're holding the first annual SOS Brigade Festival, and I need a hand here. We're going to need fireworks! You know where I can get a bunch on short notice?"

The girl's jaw dropped open, and for a moment, Haruhi thought she recognized her…had she seen that face before? Then the mouth clacked shut and the girl winked. "Of course! I'm Chris, by the way. We'll talk later, but right now? A festival and a bunch of fireworks sounds like a great idea! You can count on me, kohai!"

"Thanks, senpai, you're the best," Haruhi said, bowing.

Chris chuckled to herself, adjusting her mantle. "Oh yes, this will be much better. Much better…"

Then she walked off, and Haruhi frowned. Senpai? She shook her head. Didn't matter.

"Now just the small matter of getting everyone to attend!" Confidently, Haruhi strode out into the street, whistling a happy tune.

She wandered out into the streets, and realized she had no fliers or megaphone, or anything else to convince people to attend the festival. How was she going to tell everyone how amazing the Spreading Excitement Throughout the World With Haruhi Suzumiya First Annual Festival was going to be so they would all know to show up and have a great time?

As Haruhi was pondering that, putting her head down as she walked and thinking furiously, someone barged right into her, knocking both of them flat on their rear ends in the middle of the street.

"Ow! Watch where you're going! I'm in a hurry," the other person said, groaning and rubbing her head. She was a blonde woman somewhere in her mid-thirties, with a short cropped messy haircut, wearing a threadbare blue robe that seemed to have had several bits of embroidery ripped out at some point. She was also, for some reason, carrying a stack of papers.

"Hey, do you know a printer by chance?" Haruhi asked, picking one up. She saw something about "complimentary edible soap" and figured the woman sold beauty products or something.

"Er, yes, but I don't-" the woman began to crawl around, trying to pick up her fallen papers, but Haruhi dragged her to her feet.

"Great! I need a bunch of fliers, and some posters! We're having the very first Annual SOS Brigade Day Festival this very night, and we have to get the word out!"

"That's nice, but I heard she's back! I-I know I abandoned her, but, well, if she's back, I really do love her, and-"

"There is no better way to show the woman you love how much you appreciate her than by supporting the SOS Brigade festival!" Haruhi said, taking the woman's hands in her own and pulling her close. "You could participate in our Idol Band competition! Win some fabulous prizes! Perhaps, take her for a romantic stroll through the booths, and then share a kiss beneath the fireworks! It's the perfect date!"

"I, uh," the woman flushed, her pupils dilating and her breathing getting heavy as she looked into Haruhi's eyes.

"And all I need is your help making and then passing out a few fliers! Think, you'll be able to woo the woman of your dreams, and make the world a more interesting and wonderful place! What do you say!?"

"I, ah, I guess-"

"Great! Come on! Let's get to it. Where's the printer?" Haruhi demanded, turning the woman around.

"It's not a printer, I have a skill that lets me make fliers, and there should still be some materials, but my sign up forms-"

"Forget them, they're not important now! What was your name again?"

"I…" the woman looked behind her one more time, then turned to Haruhi. Her face suddenly broke into a broad grin. "I'm Cecily! So, this festival is a good way to meet cute girls? What about money? Can we make some quick cash?"

"Of course! There's sure to be dozens of suckers there! You just have to get them to play the games of chance, then reel them in! All profits will go towards spreading the influence of the SOS Brigade across the land!" Haruhi declared. "So you know it's for a good cause!"

"Right! You can count on Cecily, let's get those fliers made!" Cecily agreed, and hastily led Haruhi to a small shack at the edge of town. There were boxes of papers, and using some basic supplies, Haruhi drew up half a dozen models of fliers with a few simple illustrations.

"These are…works of art," Cecily gasped, gazing at one. "The use of color, the contrasting lines, the exquisite detail…I can see every fold and wrinkle on the clothes, and practically smell that frying food! How did you do it?!"

"Eh it's easy if you know how. Now, can you make copies?" Haruhi asked.

"Of course. I was going to make these fliers for her, but…"

"Eh, she'll get the message, don't worry about it!" Haruhi assured Cecily

"Well, OK. Just for you, cutie." Cecily agreed. She placed one of the posters atop a box of paper, then chanted a quick spell. "Mimeograph!"

Cecily pulled out one of the copies, which was a fairly good facsimile. The color wasn't as vibrant, and the lines were a little blurred, but it was still pretty good.

"Perfect!" Haruhi declared. "Do the rest!"

In minutes, they had hundreds of fliers, and Cecily and Haruhi hit the town, ready to spread the news of the grand festival happening in only a few hours.

"This will be great!" Haruhi laughed. "Just you see! The SOS Brigade will spread excitement throughout the world!"

"Yes, Lady Haruhi," Cecily said, gazing with wonder and awe at Haruhi. "As you wish."

Haruhi missed the worshipful look, and jumped up atop a farmer's cart.

"Hey! What are you-"

"ATTENTION EVERYONE!" Haruhi bellowed, holding up a flier. "THE FIRST ANNUAL SOS BRIGADE FESTIVAL WILL BE TONIGHT, RIGHT HERE IN AXEL! FOOD AND FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY, WITH AN IDOL BAND COMPETITION AND A FIREWORKS DISPLAY TO FOLLOW! DON'T MISS THE EVENT OF THE YEAR!"

"My cabbages!" the farmer wailed. "Why are you trampling my cabbages!"

Several green leafy plants mewed and looked up at Haruhi, but she refused to be deterred. "Sir, the festival could use these cabbages! They can become coleslaw, which is a vital food item to be served at any proper festival! Take the flier, and tell 'em Haruhi sent ya!"

"But I was going to sell these, why should I-"

"Come on sir, would you make two beautiful women cry?" Cecily demanded. She thrust out a flier. "Plus, it's a festival! Instead of normal prices, you can charge extra since it's a big event! Just think of the profits!"

The farmer blinked, then took the flier. "Well, I suppose…yes! I'll head there right away!"

"Tell your friends!" Haruhi encouraged them. She waved her fliers, as people began to gather. "Come on down folks! THE SOS BRIGADE HAS COME TO TOWN!"

Author's Note:

So, I'm trying to wrap up the story, and the plot tumor that Sasaki/Kiriko became. I'll be focusing more on Haruhi (and also on poor, poor Koizumi). But I do want to give at least some resolution to the "other" special girl's arc, as well as finally have her get her head out of her own butt when it comes to her parents.