Since the rest is on hold for the moment, I decided to finally write this bit that's been gestating inside my mind for a while now:
"So, you've decided to start dating?"
Shizuru asked as I was swallowing some of my share of the shabu-shabu we were having for ... well, call it supper. It was a little late for it to be dinner.
I spent the next few moments disloding the mouthful from my windpipe.
"It's ... complicated," I shrugged after regaining my composure. Natsuki was looking smugly amused. Payback for when our flatmate, who seemed to be fond of causing people to do spit-takes at the most odd times, last did this sort of thing to her.
No, not asked if she were dating somebody. For one thing, she was very taken already. No two guesses about by whom either. For another, there were no bodies of whatever acquaintances she'd made recently found gutted by excessively sharp implements of destruction.
Shizuru has, throughout everything, remained a little excessive in her actions when under influence of too much emotion.
Not that either of us would like her to change. It's just part of what makes Shizuru ... well, Shizuru. Having to run damage control sometimes is well worth the hassle.
"Is the world ending anytime soon, do you think?" Natsuki asked of Shizuru, who considered the question, giving me an inquiring look.
I couldn't help it. I snickered. "When is it ever not?"
Yes, dear reader, we'd had some ... interesting interludes on the way here. Trust me, we dearly needed the downtime.
I just wondered how the others were doing for a moment, pinching another piece of meat, letting it simmer, and devouring it with all the restrain of Natsuki going postal with things that made big explosions.
"Luckily," I completed the thought after the bite, "somebody's already taking care of it."
"Don't they always?" Shizuru remarked ironically, sipping her tea.
She did that a lot.
"So, what brought the Fuuka Inquisition on?" I asked.
Nobody expects the Fuuka Inquisition. Natsuki thought it was the thing to come up with after I'd gotten her a 'Holy Hand Grenade' as a gift for the last ... err ... is surviving another hair-raising situation that would have likely ended in the death of all participants but somehow didn't an appropriate occasion for giving gifts in Japanese culture? If not, it damn well ought to be.
"Oh, I was out in town today," said Shizuru, unconcerned. Apparently, she'd passed by the bookstore and saw myself and "... she looked like a nice girl. A little quiet, though."
Well, who did you think I'd be in a bookstore with? And no, we still hadn't spoken more than five words a day to one another. Verily, the onset of a beautiful friendship.
Ahem. Let me recap ...
... the day didn't really start that differently from any other free day.
Actually, no. It did. I woke up early. Alright, so maybe Suzumiya was just a tad bit to zealous about all this. My first reservation about the SOS Brigade has to do with the fact that it stops me from always being able to sleep in on the weekends ... sometimes, I think I need help. Then I remember '33 and decide that I'm a perfectly well adjusted individual after all, given the circumstances.
Anyway, as I was saying, the Most Outstanding Nail of our regional High School - yes, this was her actual title, though she didn't really know of it. There was an unofficial student vote going on a few weeks ago - conscripted us into doing ... something ... for which we had to show up early on that annoyingly clear and sparkly morning of the weekend.
Damnit, it was perfect sleeping weather.
Despite grumblings, I made it ahead of time, and found Haruhi and Nagato Yuki already there. The first was back and forth on her heels, seemingly filled to excess with the nervous energy that had made her feared or revered among our peers. I'm betting on the former.
Breakfast? Well, aside from not really having to eat, there was the little fact that I hadn't actually had any for a few years straight now, barring special occasions.
Cheerfully, Haruhi greeted me and proceeded to ignore any and all inquiries regarding what she wanted us to do with the day. Oh well, that was only expected.
I still didn't think she quite believed me about the first thing I'd ever said in her presence ... despite getting chastised about not acting properly 'in-genre' during recess on that first day of our acquaintance. Maybe she'd thought I'd been making fun of her, maybe not ... well, she did grab and haul me off when she and Kyon (though he was loathe to admit it) came up with the idea of the SOS Brigade, so I suppose I qualified as 'weird enough' ... eh. Enough reminiscenting.
I planted myself on the bench next to Nagato. Reached into a pocket. Withdrew a copy of Heinlein's 'Stranger in a Strange World' and handed it to Nagato. She returned the gesture and I got 'Ender's Game' in return. Fair exchange.
The following minutes before the others arrived were spent in ... well, I'd say silence, but that's almost an impossiblity around Suzumiya, even when she's not saying anything.
That reminds me, the Brigade got a new addition. Yet another person who sends ripples across my radar, so to speak. His, and yes, I did say 'he' - looks like we've balanced ourselves out, finally - name is Itsuki Koizumi, attitude is smugly unconcerned.
Every time I'm in a room with the guy ... I get this strange ... well, call it the hairs on the back of my neck rising, for some reason. Weird. Not in a particularly threatening way, but still weird.
As a result, when we did finally have the full SOS Brigade complement OSP and accounted for, and Kyon - who didn't show up late, but did show up last - was roped into buying us drinks to start the day off with, after which we drew lots and were finally informed about what we were doing here ...
... seems like Haruhi's momentary plan to ferret out any supernatural activity amounted to splitting up and walking around. Oh well.
... and, wouldn't you know it, I ended up having to team up with Koizumi first off the bat ...
... I asked him, point blank, when we were out of earshot ...
"Okay, what the hell are you anyway?"
No, it wasn't early morning anymore. Yes, 'early morning mood' lasts for a while in my case. Hence the frankness.
That the words had come in stereo, as he'd apparently asked me the same thing at that moment ... well, that was odd.
We didn't actually have very much of a conversation, since we were both a little put off about the whole thing, but it was logged as something to be done later regardless.
Then came the meeting and Asahina's turn. Oh joy. Not.
I still didn't like the girl much, moe factor aside. In my opinion, Haruhi was cuter ... but I'm weird like that, so allow me my momentary lapse.
Since she was apparently in a constant state of anxiety overload, and seemed to jump every time she was startled, it was a particularly straining bout of looking for nothing in particular. She seemed to have something on her mind anyway, so not even any conversation of dubious value was forthcoming.
Come to think of it, does she seem more nervous around me than around the others, short of maybe Nagato? Could be.
We met up again.
Third time around, I got Nagato. We went to the bookstore and spent the whole time browsing and/or reading.
Nagato Yuki's ... feel? Well, what I get from Field resonance anyway, is utterly ordinary. So ordinary, in fact, that it feels like the ESP equivalent of going through false ID and background papers.
Anyway, it was time well spent, in my opinion. In her's too, I suppose, though she never actually voiced it.
When we finally met up Haruhi, and started off towards our respective domiciles. It was getting a bit late-ish already. Finally, we were left with only myself, Suzumiya, and Kyon.
Then, after Haruhi chewed Kyon out for ... what was it again, sleeping on the job? Something like that. Anyway, then it was just myself and the other initial male member of the SOS Brigade.
"So."
"So?"
"So ..." Kyon trailed off. Then shrugged. "I've asked you this before. Were you being serious?"
Huh? Asked me when? Wait. Oh.
"So-so. A lot of it would be considered semantics, but it's mostly true."
"Great," the guy grumbled. "Are _you_ going to tell me something about Suzumiya too?"
I blinked. "Errr. She wants you?"
Crickets chirped in the distance.
"... she _what_?"
"Wants. As in, possibly just for your body. Probably more," hey, the rules only say that the guy who's the object of interest is biologically unable to tell the girl's interested in him. Nothing about innocent bystanders caught in the hilarity like myself.
"Right," he suddenly looked vaguely queasy. "Not like that European scientist guy who hacked bodies together and revived the results, which later killed him, right?"
I was half tempted to try and scare the crap out of him by following the line of reasoning ... although then I refrained. He looked haggared enough from the day's runabout and chewing out from our Glorious Leader as it was, my remaining human decency told me.
"It's what it looks like from this end," I shrugged.
"That's it?"
Hells, what did this guy want?
"Wait, so you're saying you claim to be a ... well, whatever you said back then ... and you're _not_ here because of Suzumiya?" he goes and changed topics on me. May be onto something here.
So yeah, at the end of the day, after Kyon and I did talk, I finally found out what Koizumi was. And Asahina. And Nagato.
Who'd have thought ... Kyon's a decent guy to talk to. Or bitch about life, the universe, and everything with. One of the two.
The speculation turned interesting enough, especially after he told me that Koizumi hadn't been 'able' - grin-boy's word here - to demonstrate his Mad Esper Skillz and I gave a short demonstration that finally proved to him I wasn't suffering from delusions myself.
One pulverized section of wall and a mildly shellshocked Kyon later, we parted ways, and I headed home to eat, sleep, and be victimized by two flatmates playing older sisters to the hilt.
Go figure.
This is one story I've decided not to turn too serious. For obvious reasons. And it's still fun to write. Heh.
ETA: made the bit at the end somewhat clearer.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm
"So, you've decided to start dating?"
Shizuru asked as I was swallowing some of my share of the shabu-shabu we were having for ... well, call it supper. It was a little late for it to be dinner.
I spent the next few moments disloding the mouthful from my windpipe.
"It's ... complicated," I shrugged after regaining my composure. Natsuki was looking smugly amused. Payback for when our flatmate, who seemed to be fond of causing people to do spit-takes at the most odd times, last did this sort of thing to her.
No, not asked if she were dating somebody. For one thing, she was very taken already. No two guesses about by whom either. For another, there were no bodies of whatever acquaintances she'd made recently found gutted by excessively sharp implements of destruction.
Shizuru has, throughout everything, remained a little excessive in her actions when under influence of too much emotion.
Not that either of us would like her to change. It's just part of what makes Shizuru ... well, Shizuru. Having to run damage control sometimes is well worth the hassle.
"Is the world ending anytime soon, do you think?" Natsuki asked of Shizuru, who considered the question, giving me an inquiring look.
I couldn't help it. I snickered. "When is it ever not?"
Yes, dear reader, we'd had some ... interesting interludes on the way here. Trust me, we dearly needed the downtime.
I just wondered how the others were doing for a moment, pinching another piece of meat, letting it simmer, and devouring it with all the restrain of Natsuki going postal with things that made big explosions.
"Luckily," I completed the thought after the bite, "somebody's already taking care of it."
"Don't they always?" Shizuru remarked ironically, sipping her tea.
She did that a lot.
"So, what brought the Fuuka Inquisition on?" I asked.
Nobody expects the Fuuka Inquisition. Natsuki thought it was the thing to come up with after I'd gotten her a 'Holy Hand Grenade' as a gift for the last ... err ... is surviving another hair-raising situation that would have likely ended in the death of all participants but somehow didn't an appropriate occasion for giving gifts in Japanese culture? If not, it damn well ought to be.
"Oh, I was out in town today," said Shizuru, unconcerned. Apparently, she'd passed by the bookstore and saw myself and "... she looked like a nice girl. A little quiet, though."
Well, who did you think I'd be in a bookstore with? And no, we still hadn't spoken more than five words a day to one another. Verily, the onset of a beautiful friendship.
Ahem. Let me recap ...
... the day didn't really start that differently from any other free day.
Actually, no. It did. I woke up early. Alright, so maybe Suzumiya was just a tad bit to zealous about all this. My first reservation about the SOS Brigade has to do with the fact that it stops me from always being able to sleep in on the weekends ... sometimes, I think I need help. Then I remember '33 and decide that I'm a perfectly well adjusted individual after all, given the circumstances.
Anyway, as I was saying, the Most Outstanding Nail of our regional High School - yes, this was her actual title, though she didn't really know of it. There was an unofficial student vote going on a few weeks ago - conscripted us into doing ... something ... for which we had to show up early on that annoyingly clear and sparkly morning of the weekend.
Damnit, it was perfect sleeping weather.
Despite grumblings, I made it ahead of time, and found Haruhi and Nagato Yuki already there. The first was back and forth on her heels, seemingly filled to excess with the nervous energy that had made her feared or revered among our peers. I'm betting on the former.
Breakfast? Well, aside from not really having to eat, there was the little fact that I hadn't actually had any for a few years straight now, barring special occasions.
Cheerfully, Haruhi greeted me and proceeded to ignore any and all inquiries regarding what she wanted us to do with the day. Oh well, that was only expected.
I still didn't think she quite believed me about the first thing I'd ever said in her presence ... despite getting chastised about not acting properly 'in-genre' during recess on that first day of our acquaintance. Maybe she'd thought I'd been making fun of her, maybe not ... well, she did grab and haul me off when she and Kyon (though he was loathe to admit it) came up with the idea of the SOS Brigade, so I suppose I qualified as 'weird enough' ... eh. Enough reminiscenting.
I planted myself on the bench next to Nagato. Reached into a pocket. Withdrew a copy of Heinlein's 'Stranger in a Strange World' and handed it to Nagato. She returned the gesture and I got 'Ender's Game' in return. Fair exchange.
The following minutes before the others arrived were spent in ... well, I'd say silence, but that's almost an impossiblity around Suzumiya, even when she's not saying anything.
That reminds me, the Brigade got a new addition. Yet another person who sends ripples across my radar, so to speak. His, and yes, I did say 'he' - looks like we've balanced ourselves out, finally - name is Itsuki Koizumi, attitude is smugly unconcerned.
Every time I'm in a room with the guy ... I get this strange ... well, call it the hairs on the back of my neck rising, for some reason. Weird. Not in a particularly threatening way, but still weird.
As a result, when we did finally have the full SOS Brigade complement OSP and accounted for, and Kyon - who didn't show up late, but did show up last - was roped into buying us drinks to start the day off with, after which we drew lots and were finally informed about what we were doing here ...
... seems like Haruhi's momentary plan to ferret out any supernatural activity amounted to splitting up and walking around. Oh well.
... and, wouldn't you know it, I ended up having to team up with Koizumi first off the bat ...
... I asked him, point blank, when we were out of earshot ...
"Okay, what the hell are you anyway?"
No, it wasn't early morning anymore. Yes, 'early morning mood' lasts for a while in my case. Hence the frankness.
That the words had come in stereo, as he'd apparently asked me the same thing at that moment ... well, that was odd.
We didn't actually have very much of a conversation, since we were both a little put off about the whole thing, but it was logged as something to be done later regardless.
Then came the meeting and Asahina's turn. Oh joy. Not.
I still didn't like the girl much, moe factor aside. In my opinion, Haruhi was cuter ... but I'm weird like that, so allow me my momentary lapse.
Since she was apparently in a constant state of anxiety overload, and seemed to jump every time she was startled, it was a particularly straining bout of looking for nothing in particular. She seemed to have something on her mind anyway, so not even any conversation of dubious value was forthcoming.
Come to think of it, does she seem more nervous around me than around the others, short of maybe Nagato? Could be.
We met up again.
Third time around, I got Nagato. We went to the bookstore and spent the whole time browsing and/or reading.
Nagato Yuki's ... feel? Well, what I get from Field resonance anyway, is utterly ordinary. So ordinary, in fact, that it feels like the ESP equivalent of going through false ID and background papers.
Anyway, it was time well spent, in my opinion. In her's too, I suppose, though she never actually voiced it.
When we finally met up Haruhi, and started off towards our respective domiciles. It was getting a bit late-ish already. Finally, we were left with only myself, Suzumiya, and Kyon.
Then, after Haruhi chewed Kyon out for ... what was it again, sleeping on the job? Something like that. Anyway, then it was just myself and the other initial male member of the SOS Brigade.
"So."
"So?"
"So ..." Kyon trailed off. Then shrugged. "I've asked you this before. Were you being serious?"
Huh? Asked me when? Wait. Oh.
"So-so. A lot of it would be considered semantics, but it's mostly true."
"Great," the guy grumbled. "Are _you_ going to tell me something about Suzumiya too?"
I blinked. "Errr. She wants you?"
Crickets chirped in the distance.
"... she _what_?"
"Wants. As in, possibly just for your body. Probably more," hey, the rules only say that the guy who's the object of interest is biologically unable to tell the girl's interested in him. Nothing about innocent bystanders caught in the hilarity like myself.
"Right," he suddenly looked vaguely queasy. "Not like that European scientist guy who hacked bodies together and revived the results, which later killed him, right?"
I was half tempted to try and scare the crap out of him by following the line of reasoning ... although then I refrained. He looked haggared enough from the day's runabout and chewing out from our Glorious Leader as it was, my remaining human decency told me.
"It's what it looks like from this end," I shrugged.
"That's it?"
Hells, what did this guy want?
"Wait, so you're saying you claim to be a ... well, whatever you said back then ... and you're _not_ here because of Suzumiya?" he goes and changed topics on me. May be onto something here.
So yeah, at the end of the day, after Kyon and I did talk, I finally found out what Koizumi was. And Asahina. And Nagato.
Who'd have thought ... Kyon's a decent guy to talk to. Or bitch about life, the universe, and everything with. One of the two.
The speculation turned interesting enough, especially after he told me that Koizumi hadn't been 'able' - grin-boy's word here - to demonstrate his Mad Esper Skillz and I gave a short demonstration that finally proved to him I wasn't suffering from delusions myself.
One pulverized section of wall and a mildly shellshocked Kyon later, we parted ways, and I headed home to eat, sleep, and be victimized by two flatmates playing older sisters to the hilt.
Go figure.
This is one story I've decided not to turn too serious. For obvious reasons. And it's still fun to write. Heh.
ETA: made the bit at the end somewhat clearer.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm