# In Your Dreams -- Chapter Eight

## Brief Lives

### A Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu fanfiction

co-authored by Halbarad and Brian Randall

Disclaimer: No disrespect is intended with the posting of this story.
Situations and characters are property of Nagaru Tanigawa, and are used here
without permission. His stuff; we're just borrowing it for a wee bit.
Additionally, some tinting (characters and settings) are borrowed from
Higurashi, which is the property of Ryukishi07; the gaggle of cousins that
appear are covered by the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Unported License.

Note: Takes place after novel eight and ignores novels nine through eleven.
Welcome to a divergent AU! This is not a proper crossover; just using some
established characters due to laziness.

* * *

I'm fully expecting to find myself dreaming tonight, and so the fact that I am
comes as no real shock. I barely spend enough time to make my reality check
before I reach up and turn the page, looking for Kyon - he'd _better_ be here
tonight!

The first check I make -- the clubroom -- comes up empty, and completely
unchanged as far as I can see. I spend a few minutes waiting, but I'm too
antsy to simply sit back and do nothing while Kyon gets here, so after a brief
bout of pacing the length of the clubroom I turn the page again.

The next stop I make is what he showed me of Hinamizawa, although the
landscape is blurred and indistinct, almost like I'm looking at it through fog
- but the air is clear. I can only figure it's due to the fact that I don't
know the place that well myself, but it does let me know that Kyon isn't here
either -- it'd probably be a lot more normal-looking if he was.

I try the palace next; there's nothing particularly special to mark it as
somewhere he'd want to go, but it was the last place we both were in the
dream, so it's worth checking out. When I get there, though, I'm a bit
surprised -- there's a ton of color and decoration now from what I remember
being mostly plain while marble. The floor shows a mosaic of the SOS Brigade
logo I made a while back, and there are a couple of decorated urns - a closer
look at the nearest one shows a stylized female figure in armor reaching up
and... grabbing the moon? Wait, is this from what happened in our last dream?

Well, if nothing else it proves that Kyon's _been_ here, even if he isn't here
now! _I_ sure didn't put this here, and I can't imagine that it'd just pop up
spontaneously!

It's enough to get me to stop and consider for a minute. Obviously Kyon isn't
in any immediate danger if he was able to get into the dream after the last
time we met up, which eases the pressure to find him right away. It strikes me
that if I keep flipping around looking for him, he could end up doing the same
looking for me, and it'll take longer for us to find each other if we do --
sort of like running around in circles after each other.

Seeing that he's left signs he's been here is enough to make up my mind; I can
settle down here and wait for him to arrive, since now I'm a bit more certain
that he _will_ find me. With that decided, I head over to my couch to settle
down -- and stop dead as I catch sight of what Kyon left in it. I fight a
smile as I pick it up off the seat: a large plush doll dressed in a male
Kitago uniform, with shaggy brown hair and an unimpressed, almost bored
expression that practically screams 'Kyon' at me. I give into the urge and
grin as I pick it up. When I turn it over I notice that there's a plastic ring
in the back -- a pull-string? I yank on the string, hearing a slight click
before the doll starts up:

"Yare yare," it says as the string slowly winds back into the toy, the voice a
slightly scratchy reproduction of Kyon's.

I can't help but burst out in a fit of the giggles at that -- it's like the
essence of Kyon, right there! I'm just about to pull the string again when I'm
interrupted by a sigh from behind me; I whirl around to find the _real_ Kyon
standing there, a hand covering his face. "Kyon!" I bark out in surprise.

"It was _supposed_ to answer your questions just like I would, in case I
couldn't make it here the next time you did," he explains shaking his head.

"Well, I didn't ask it anything, so it at least seems to have the 'acting like
you' thing down perfectly," I retort with a smirk -- but then, like a
thunderbolt, the reason why I'm here looking for him comes crashing back. I
don't want him to see how worried I was, though, so I keep my face steady as I
shout at him. "And you! You'd better have a _really_ good explanation for
missing the Brigade meeting today!"

He heaves another sigh at that, his shoulders slumping. "Yeah, I suppose I've
got a penalty for that too," he replies glumly. "My whole family got trapped
up here in Hinamizawa -- there was a big mudslide that took out the phone and
power lines and blocked the main road leading out of the village. My parents
figured it was too risky for us to get out along the back roads, so we're
staying put until they can get the main road cleared. We might be up here for
another week or more."

That pretty much confirms what I saw online. "I _guess_ I can excuse you for
that, then," I say grudgingly. "Being stuck up there with no power and all
those cousins of yours is probably enough of a penalty anyway." I look away as
I go on. "You're not... your family is all okay, I hope?"

He nods at that, looking slightly depressed. "Yeah, I haven't heard of anyone
being hurt so far. My aunt Mion's house -- where we've been staying -- is up
in the mountains, so there's no real danger of flooding here at least. My
uncles have been working on reinforcing some of the levees, and seeing if they
can clear the mudslide a little before the Department of Public Works arrives.
Most of my aunts have come up here with the rest of my cousins, but one of
them's staying in town at the school -- that's where the main shelter for the
village residents is."

"That's good, at least," I reply. "So what exactly are _you_ doing then?
Helping your uncles?"

"Helping my aunts look after the cousins more, really," he answers, shaking
his head. "No school, of course, since the actual school building is being
used as a shelter, but we spent today working on their homework, mostly. I got
a break to go visit my uncles at lunchtime, but even that was more of an
errand -- taking food down to the mudslide area. The JSDF actually airlifted
some supplies in this afternoon, so we're not in any danger of running out of
food or medical supplies any time soon, but it's still not much fun."

I can't help but frown a bit at that. "Well, if you're just working on
schoolwork anyway, I guess I can give you our assignments when we meet here.
Not the most exciting thing in the world, but at least if you're able to keep
up with them on your own you won't have a huge pile of make-up work to do when
you finally _do_ get back."

The prospect doesn't seem to excite him much, not that I can actually blame
him for that. "Yeah, I guess," he mumbles. "Just means my sister gets a free
pass, since everyone else will have things they really do need to work on."

I think about that for a minute; he's right that it doesn't seem exactly fair,
but hell - her school is here, maybe I _can_ do something? It's better than
letting him sit and stew, at least. "Maybe I can - I'll just need her school
and class information, I'll see what I can do."

He seems a bit taken aback at that for a minute. "I'm not sure whether to say
'thanks' or ask you not to take the trouble," he finally manages.

"I'm going to do it anyway!" I retort. "I'm sure not letting _you_ fall behind
and end up with a mountain of make-up work that'll interfere with Brigade
activities, so you're not getting off the hook yourself - but you're right, it
doesn't mean your sister should be the only one who gets to goof off!"

He just chuckles at that. "All right, I'll go with the 'thanks', then." He
sighs, shaking his head. "Anyway, rather than dwelling on dull things are up
here at the moment, what have you been up to?"

"Compared to dealing with mudslides and floods, not really all that much," I
reply, shrugging. "Although I've gotten some more investigating done since the
last time we talked."

"Investigating?" He gives me a puzzled look at that, and that's when I realize
that I haven't actually let him know what happened after he told me to talk to
Yuki.

That prompts me to grin before I continue. "I guess I hadn't told you yet," I
drawl. "You remember that you told me to talk to Yuki since you couldn't tell
me about Mikuru-chan, right?" Without bothering to wait for his assent, I
continue on. "Well, she told me _she_ couldn't give me a straight answer
either - but that she figured I'd be able to work it out on my own.

"She couldn't help me directly, but she said she'd run interference for me -
make sure that no one got in the way of me looking into it myself." I shrug.
"Doesn't seem like much, but at least she's not opposed to it."

Kyon looks a bit worried at that. "Um... actually, I think that might be a
little bigger than you think," he says slowly. "I hope she'll be all right
doing that."

That prompts me to raise an eyebrow. "What, there's that many people that
would want to stop me?"

"Kind of," Kyon hedges.

That definitely gets my interest! Although if he couldn't tell me anything
before, I doubt he's going to say much more about it now. "Well, she did ask
me to promise I'd help her out if she got in trouble with it, and of course I
will." I shrug.

He seems to be mostly placated by that, nodding in reply as he takes a seat on
the edge of the couch. "That's... good," he replies. "So you've been working
on that, then?"

"Yeah!" I grin fiercely, but then my expression falls as I realize what part
of that investigation involved. "Oh... yeah. I should probably fill you in
before you hear some stupid rumor about part of it, too - well, not that you'd
hear anything until you got back anyway."

"Rumor? Why would I hear a rumor?"

I sigh, looking away. "Because I went out to a cafe with Koizumi-kun to try to
pump him for information, and that idiot Taniguchi saw us there. It was
obvious he thought we were out on a date or something."

Kyon snorts at that. "I can't see that at all. Either you asking him out on a
date, or saying yes if he was the one that asked you."

"Exactly!" I retort, putting my hands on my hips. "But yeah, since it was
actually Taniguchi that saw us - and the two of you hang out sometimes - I
have a feeling he's going to hit you with that as soon as you get back."

"Thanks for letting me know," Kyon says, a faint smile on his face. "So... did
you at least find anything out about Koizumi with that?"

"Yeah, I finally got more information about that 'part-time job' of his," I
answer, starting to pace back and forth in front of the chaise where Kyon's
sitting. "He supposedly helps out an elderly uncle of his with a bookstore, up
at the north edge of the shopping district."

"Oh really," Kyon says, raising an eyebrow.

"What, you didn't _know_?" I shoot him an incredulous look. "You made it sound
like you already knew all this stuff about the others!"

He sighs at that. "I know what his _actual_ 'part-time job' is, but I don't
know what he'd tell _you_ it was," he explains.

I smirk triumphantly at that. "Well, thanks for confirming that it's just a
cover story, then - although I'd already guessed that much. Mikuru-chan and I
went to check out that bookstore yesterday, and it really looked fishy, for
sure!"

"Well, if Nagato's already helping - and she told you to investigate on your
own - I can't really refuse to do the same," Kyon admits, scratching the back
of his head. "I suppose the best advice I can give you is to stick with
looking into Koizumi, mostly - I seriously doubt you'd find out much by
watching Asahina-san or Nagato directly. Even knowing what their secrets
_are_, I'm not sure what I could tell you to look for to figure those out for
yourself, other than just paying attention to what they say and do."

"Hmm... well, I already got a hint about Yuki, sort of. I didn't even realize
she _was_ hiding something until I went over to see her a couple of days ago
and ran into Kimidori-san at her apartment. She was saying something about
Yuki being forbidden to investigate something, although I didn't hear much
about what it was." I shake my head at that. "She told me that Kimidori-san
was a cousin of hers, and that she literally _couldn't_ say much more than
that."

"That's... probably true," Kyon says, sounding rather uncomfortable. "Anyway,
I probably shouldn't say any more, just... as I said, I'd stick to looking
into Koizumi, you've got better odds of finding things that look off about his
situation than the others. The one other thing I'll say directly is that none
of the others' secrets are anything _bad_, just things they don't want you to
know about."

"All right, fine," I grumble, stopping to turn and look at him. A blaze of
color catches my eye, and I startle a bit - then realize it's just the door
Kyon apparently used to come in, leading back to the clubroom.

He turns to look, apparently wondering what surprised me, then relaxes when
there's nothing too unusual. "Oh, uh... sorry, forgot to close the door behind
me, I guess."

"Not that big a deal, I just wasn't expecting it is all," I reply offhandedly.
"You know, for a few minutes there I actually forgot that we were dreaming -
sitting here and talking to you like this, it could be just like something
we'd do in the real world. _That_," I add, pointing to the doorway, "is
definitely not something that could show up for real."

He gives me a blank look at that. "We're in an ancient Greek temple with
frescoes of the SOS Brigade's activities in it. You forgot you were dreaming?"

"I don't always pay that much attention to the details when my mind is on
something else!" I retort. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. If you've been dreaming
trying to catch me here you should probably get some regular sleep, especially
if you've got to deal with your cousins running you ragged during the day. Let
me get your sister's school details, and next time I see you here I'll have
assignments for you both to work on."

He just nods at that, giving the information about his sister's classes. I do
my best to remember it so I can write it down after the dream is over, then I
pass over our own assignments - there's not much since most of the day was
just review after Golden Week, but math homework never ends. After getting his
own information, Kyon disappears - presumably waking up or getting back to
more normal sleep.

Before I do the same, I look back at the door - still standing open to the
Brigade room even though Kyon's gone. It might not be possible for him to just
open a door and come back to Nishinomiya, but it would be really nice if he
could. Spending time with him in dreams is fun, but I want him back in the
real world too!

* * *

After meeting with Haruhi -- finally -- I was able to let myself drift into
proper sleep. Morning came around, leaving me to be woken by my younger sister
and her giggling.

Aunt Mion is in the doorway, looking amused as my sister dashes away, blanket
trailing behind her. At least the gas heating keeps the house warm even
without power.

"Your mother thinks it's a good idea to get you up on schedule," she notes.
"To stay in the habit once you go home."

"Sounds like Mother," I agree with a sigh, sitting up and running a hand
through my hair.

"The furo is free," she adds, before closing the door to give me a bit of
privacy.

All things considered, I should be happy about that-- With all of the cousins
and uncles, it's fortunate that Aunt Mion's house has enough rooms that I can
get one just to myself. I take advantage of the privacy to grab my dream
journal. I ... haven't really been keeping up with that.

Then again, I've managed to achieve lucid dreaming (or this new thing that
Haruhi made up that's really _like_ lucid dreaming), so I suppose there's not
as much point? In any case, I make a note of the math assignments that Haruhi
mentioned, so I can work on those during the 'school' session with my cousins.

It's not the most pleasant thing in the world, and without any teachers or
Haruhi around to give me help, it'll be a struggle. At the same time, the only
other option is to keep reading the lucid dreaming book, and I've probably
gotten to the end of what that'll give me. Dreaming is pretty free -- some
things are harder, but there don't really seem to be many absolute
limitations.

So worrying about them won't accomplish much.

Instead I resolved to keep doing my best. Haruhi had acknowledged that I was
doing that, and she couldn't blame me for the rest, so what else was there?

And that meant as soon as I was done bathing, helping keep the cousins in
line, and more actively trying to help lead them to take their lessons.

Ah, Haruhi, what have you done to me? Made me realize I have to take
initiative and finish my homework on its own?

Truly, the world can be a cruel place.

I frown as I step out into the hall, hearing a light pattering of rainfall
resuming.

Perhaps I let that thought occur to me too soon....

The rain cuts off and resumes in fitful spates until I got out of the furo.
Tearing a small strip of paper from the dream journal with the homework
assignment on it, I bring it and my math book to the table. Yurie breaks from
her breakfast to give me a thoughtful look, her gaze lingering on the scrap
I'm using as a bookmark.

"Today's assignment for me," I tell her, which gets the attention of the other
cousins, and my mother to beam me a surprised, pleased smile.

It could be much worse then, couldn't it? Hopefully it doesn't rain so much it
makes working on the mudslide dangerous, or else that little bit of exercise
won't happen today....

* * *

"This is not a suggestion you can refuse!" I slam my hand down on the table in
front of me for emphasis.

Across the desk from me sits the student council president, a haughty
expression on his features. "Your association is not officially recognized,
Suzumiya-kun. We need no other reason to refuse any request of yours."

I do my best to keep my cool, although I'd like nothing more than to reach
over and slap that smug smirk off his face. "So, your words about student
independence were completely empty, then? I've already gotten approval from
the faculty to do this -- they even thought it was an excellent idea to raise
awareness!"

Which was _mostly_ true. During the lunch period today, I'd run the suggestion
past Okabe-sensei - and as expected, he was shocked to hear that Kyon was
stuck up behind the mudslides in Hinamizawa. Of course, he did say that any
official event would have to be sanctioned by the student council as well, but
he was willing to take care of any paperwork necessary with the faculty since
it was one of his students that was affected.

"Regardless of the faculty's position, any student-led event must be
recognized by this council to have any official standing -- and I see no
reason to do so for an illegal group such as your own, despite the merits of
your proposal." The bastard pushes his glasses up, tilting his head back so he
can stare at me down his nose.

I still have a few tricks up my sleeve, though. As much as I'd like to use
this to force recognition of the SOS Brigade by the student council, we don't
have time to play tug-of-war over this - if the rest of my plans are going to
succeed, we need to get this moving fast!

"So, then, the fact that I _do_ have recognized organizations already offering
to help out with the process should make this a non-issue, then," I say
offhandedly. "Since that's the only objection you can raise, that should make
it fine."

That causes an eyebrow to twitch, and I suppress the urge to put on a smirk of
my own. "After all, I have the complete support of the Computer Research Club,
who are already working on making flyers and posting notices online about it,
and I absolutely expect the Light Music Club and the Calligraphy Club to want
to help out as well."

The Light Music Club members still owe me a favor of sorts after the cultural
festival; I could cash that in for this if I had to. They might not be
paranormal people, but aside from that they're pretty cool, so I imagine
they'd probably be willing to help out even if I didn't use up that favor. And
the Calligraphy Club... I haven't talked with Tsuruya-san yet, but I'll just
bet she can get them to put together some nice artwork that we can sell off to
raise funds too.

"And, of course, the president of the Literature Club is fully behind me on
this one," I add - although Yuki's more behind and off to the side of me at
the moment; she adds her own nod to punctuate the point. If he was willing to
attack the SOS Brigade through the old Literature Club... well, two can play
at that game!

I can hear teeth grinding, but mostly because I'm listening for it - and this
time I don't bother to hide the smirk. "Very well," the president grits out.
"You have the student council's approval for a fundraiser. We will not provide
any additional support or funding to assist your preparations, however, and
you personally will bear all responsibility for any trouble that results,
Suzumiya-kun."

At that, my smirk breaks into a full grin. "As the _leader_ of the SOS
Brigade, I fully accept!" I bark triumphantly, spinning on my heel and
striding out of the clubroom, with Yuki trailing behind in my wake. It may not
be official recognition of the _Brigade_, but by singling _me_ out he's
admitting that I'm more than just a member of the Literature Club - a small
victory, but a victory all the same!

Before we get back to the clubroom, though, I draw Yuki aside to talk to her,
glancing up and down the hallway to make sure we won't be overheard. "What's
the news on us getting up to Hinamizawa?" I ask quietly.

She doesn't even pause before she launches into her findings. "We can obtain
passage to Aomori by train after classes release on Saturday; arrival will be
in Aomori shortly after midnight."

"Hmm, that's pretty late, but I guess we can probably arrange to stay
overnight in Aomori and get to Hinamizawa the next day," I reply, rubbing my
chin. "How much will the tickets be?"

"Approximately twelve thousand yen per person," Yuki answers.

I can't help but wince at that - for four of us, that'll be almost fifty
thousand yen, and that's _just_ to get to Aomori! It'll cost us more to get
from there to Hinamizawa, for sure, plus the cost of staying overnight in
Aomori and food while we're traveling... man, this is going to suck! I thought
if the fundraiser didn't quite come up with enough money to do what we needed
I could dip into my savings, but that'd more than wipe me out!

I feel my good mood at the win over the student council slipping away as I
consider. "We're going to have to make this fundraiser a big success then," I
say, frowning a bit. "That's going to be a _lot_ of money just to get us up
there, never mind getting supplies to take with us when we do!

"Anyway, good work, Yuki-- Keep working on this, though, since we'll have to
find a place to stay in Aomori and then get to Hinamizawa from there - or do
you have that part worked out too?"

She hesitates a bit at that. "Partially," she admits. "From Aomori, travel is
by bus to the city of Okinomiya - prices are only approximate, however. From
Okinomiya, travel to Hinamizawa will depend on local conditions - the distance
is approximately ten kilometers under ideal circumstances."

"Yeah, that part I imagine we won't be able to plan for very well - I'm
guessing we either rent bicycles in Okinomiya or we hike. Ten kilometers
should be manageable, though, as long as we don't go too crazy." I know _I_
sure won't have any problems hiking that far, and I suspect Koizumi won't
either - but we'll probably need to pace ourselves a bit to make sure Mikuru
and Yuki can keep up. She doesn't seem to be bothered at all at the
suggestion, though, which I'll take as a good sign for her.

"All right, now we have a goal -- so let's go make sure we can meet it!" With
that, I walk the last few steps to the clubroom door, kicking it open and
putting on a grin. "The SOS Brigade has emerged victorious against the student
council once again!" I crow. "It's full speed ahead for the fundraiser, so--
Koizumi-kun, report! What's the status of the Computer Research Society's
assignment?"

Yuki enters behind me, closing the door with a quiet click as Koizumi starts
to go over the basic plan he's come up with to spread the word online.

* * *

My reality check -- constant habit, now -- lets me know I'm dreaming almost
immediately, and I break from my dream of a Hinamizawa completely flooded,
with only the school and Aunt Mion's house left dry. While I could stay and
play around, I've dealt with enough of that dreary weather.

So I turn around from the living room, where dream images of my cousins pore
through massive, musty tomes, and to the nearest door. The front closet, as it
happens, but it doesn't matter -- when I open it, the other side is Haruhi's
Greek palace. Strangely, the door isn't where I usually place it, but at one
side.

Stepping through, I look behind me and see that Haruhi's added a wall, and at
a guess, a specific place for my door to appear -- beneath a stylized archway.

"Much better than just throwing a door out wherever," she says brightly,
startling me-- I spin around and see her lounging in her usual spot, though
she's got no attendants, and is toying with that doll I made her.

I don't think she'll get over that one any time soon, either. This time, I
have no one to blame but myself, however.

"Ah, thanks," I manage dryly. Why is she dressed like a Red Cross relief
worker?

She sits up immediately, giving me a sharp look. "Well-- How are things going
with the cousins?"

"Today was a bit rough," I admit. "Aunt Rika came up to the house to rest for
a bit while the uncles covered for her at the school. One of the older rooms
had a leak in the ceiling, so they worked on that a bit. There's more rain, so
it was too dangerous to work on the mudslide. It's difficult with the cousins
all cooped up."

Haruhi opens her mouth to say something, then bites it back, showing her
troubled 'unsure what to say' expression. After a moment, she offers, "Well
... even though it wasn't what I was expecting, when you had the computer club
president appear, I had a lot of fun fighting him! You know, as a way to blow
off steam?"

I nod, thinking of the block puzzle I had made for myself. Of course, fighting
isn't really my thing -- I've been motivated to consider violence only rarely.
The jerk who almost hit the kid that Haruhi tutors would have deserved it, but
I settled for cursing him out. I think I'd prefer a strategy game over that,
but I have a hard time seeing Haruhi settling down for a game of chess.

And she'd probably beat me anyway.

"Of course, I don't see you as the violent type," Haruhi allows. "You'd
probably be happier with a puzzle or a ... strategy game...." She blinks, eyes
widening. "I just had a _great_ idea!" she enthuses, reaching out and grabbing
my arm.

The entire world flips over and compresses like a turned page, and we're back
at our shared Himeji -- high up on the battlements. When I turn to look at her
again, she's changed outfits. Now instead of the relief worker's outfit she
had on before, she's wearing the unreasonably complex multi-layered junihitoe
of an ancient Emperor's daughter.

I blink, realizing she's changed _my_ outfit, too, and I'm wearing samurai
garb. Sheathed daisho are at one side, the unfamiliar weight of the swords
distracting me until I close my eyes and think of the entire costume fitting
as comfortably as pajamas. When I open them again, I flinch back slightly--

While I should have a view of Nishinomiya, she's rolled back time. The
surrounding area lets us see a small abandoned village, and an army of foes
stretching all the way to the horizon. "Great Strategist Kyon!" princess
Haruhi declares imperiously. "The march of the dread-cousins draws near! The
fortress must be held until the light of the moon shines in the sky once
more!"

"...Dread-cousins?" I can't help but ask, taken slightly aback.

She nods smoothly, and from the enemy camp, a lone figure steps out. She's
armored in gear that looks suspiciously like what a kindergartner or
elementary schooler would wear. That is to say, the familiar tsuugaku-bou, or
brightly colored yellow hats that children wear for road safety. It also looks
_slightly_ like armor, but at a guess, Haruhi was aiming for something silly
instead of intimidating.

She's attended by commanders wearing traditional grade-schooler's backpacks --
randoseru -- with umbrellas sticking up, instead of the sashimono that a
samurai would wear into battle. They do look a _little_ bit like the ancient
banners, though they lack insignia-- And Matsuri isn't three meters tall,
which I think the enemy 'general' must be.

Her voice is _spot_ on, though. "I am the dread general Matsuri!" she calls.
"We will capture Suzumiya-hime and overthrow the Kingdom of the SOS Brigade!
All hail the Dread-cousin Empire!"

A host of armored children that don't look terribly much like my cousins raise
swords and bows, unleashing a cry that makes me flinch back a step.

Not done, the enemy general adds, "Kyon-nii-sama will be _ours_!"

"Wait, wait-- I have to _fight_ them?" I ask aghast, turning to where Haruhi
... was. In her place is a girl that looks an _awful_ lot like my sister, just
with the side-tail on the opposite side.

"Nope!" she chirps in Yurie's voice, dressed in a simple messenger's outfit.
"General Kyon-nii just needs to lead the troops!" She gestures, and then I
realize the castle's battlements are lined with archers -- all of which look
like Haruhi, in traditional garb. Their crest, naturally, is the SOS Brigade
logo.

So ... more like a _puzzle_ than a fight? I still don't really like the idea
of combat, but in a dream, it can all be in fun.... Just make it like a video
game? Well, against my cousins, I'd prefer even less-- But that's fine.
Thinking about it, there's no reason that -- in a dream -- the arrows those
archers fire can't turn into nets and capture the 'enemy' harmlessly, right?
Boiling oil could easily be warm, but very sticky caramel, swords could just
tag people 'out'....

Sure-- Like that, this _could_ be fun!

"Okay," I allow, placing a hand on the messenger's head. I'll leave the image
of 'Matsuri' alone, but if Yurie's my ally.... I close my eyes, thinking of
how I'd rather the weapons on both side to work, and when I open them, the
messenger girl looks more like Yurie.

"Do you have instructions, I wonder, I wonder?" she muses.

"Right," I declare, surveying the defenses and defenders that I can see.
"Prepare the caramel! Load the siege nets!" Spotting a contingent of Haruhi in
samurai garb standing by in the lower courtyard, I order their positions to
man various gates.

"Aye, General Kyon-nii!" Yurie chirps, running off swiftly to relay my orders,
and almost instantly replaced with another, who seamlessly replies, "Messenger
Yurie, reporting for duty!"

"I should have gotten my assignments from Haruhi, first," I muse-- But no time
for that! The sound of drums from the army below sound. "Archers, once the
enemy engages, your orders are to focus on the enemy manning the siege
engines! Squad captains, coordinate fire in waves!"

"Aye, General Kyon-nii!"

I'm not at all surprised to round the corner of the battlements to check out
the other side of the castle, and see another Yurie pop up at my side,
saluting sharply.

"Suzumiya-hime wishes you luck, and prays for your success, General Kyon-nii!
She asked me to tell you that if you should hold the castle and repel the
invaders, she will give you access to the ancestral archives of today's
homework!" she chirps.

...only you, Haruhi. But how could I possibly complain? It's not the best
prize in the world, but this really could be fun!

"General Kyon-nii, before the assault starts, do you want to address the
troops, I wonder, I wonder?" the Yurie clone at my side asks.

Well, not really-- With a few exceptions, I don't think motivational speeches
are really my forte. Still, for this game, I'd better, hadn't I? And I'm sure
Haruhi's hiding there, as a nearby archer or samurai -- no way would she miss
out on watching me win ... or lose.

"Alright," I agree. I almost start with the traditional address of calling the
soldiers 'men' before I realize that ... I'm the only male figure here.

Mildly disconcerting. I shake my head at that-- "Warriors!" I call, instead.
"Brave soldiers of the Kingdom of the SOS Brigade! Today you fight to defend
your home, and your liege -- and hold it you will! Today you fight not just
for the SOS Brigade, and not just for your home, but for Haruhi!"

"Suzumiya-hime, General Kyon-nii," Yurie supplies helpfully.

I snort, but resist the urge to roll my eyes. Okay, Haruhi, you made me a
general, so I can play along. "For _Haru-hime_!" I correct myself with a loud
yell. "Today, the, er, 'dread-cousins' will be _stopped_!"

Unexpectedly, this sets off the defending troops in a raucous roar as they
stream away to their defensive positions. I guess she liked that little twist?
I'll have to keep it in mind for the future -- it could make a good counter to
a certain doll I left her with.

"The enemy is engaging!" Yurie announces, as the enemy forces begin to march
on the outer castle gates.

When I see the first nets flying out, snaring the 'dread-cousins' and halting
them harmlessly, I have to chuckle. A little fun to unwind and ignore the
stress of the day?

I don't know if I could imagine a more entertaining way to spend my dreams!
I'll have to _really_ thank Haruhi when this is done!

The castle covers a lot of territory-- The samurai and archer Haruhi are
probably equally competent to the 'dread-cousins' at a glance, but they'll
need to cross the first moat before the samurai can engage.

Realizing this, I remark, "Have the samurai stand ready to cover the archers'
retreat once the first defenses are breached. When a breach seems imminent,
pull the archers back immediately; the samurai can cover them until the next
choke-point. We're going to conserve resources, which means the archers are
going to be key. Let the enemy make progress until they reach the maze; we'll
whittle them down slowly until that point. Then we'll spring every dirty trick
this castle has on them!"

"Aye, General Kyon-nii!" the messenger cheers, running off to relay my
commands.

From there, we trade ground for captured and subdued cousins-- I really lose
track of time managing the troops. The fighting gets really intense when the
dread army -- at less than half strength, while we've lost far less -- crosses
the third moat.

Then the messenger at my side tugs at my sleeve and says, "General Kyon-nii,
you must move to safety to continue directing the forces! I suggest you move
to the third floor's ishiuchidana!"

I start at that-- She's right; I've forgotten that I'm vulnerable. The covered
'stone throwing' platforms she referenced should still give me a view of the
action without being exposed, so I agree. "Right," I remark, following her
inside and climbing to the tower's third floor; by now the samurai should be
engaging the attackers in the maze, and the archers should be providing cover
from every conceivable location, if they're following my orders.

I lose a few minutes of command time hurrying to the new post, but it appears
my strategy was good-- Multitudes of generic 'dread-cousins' are captured in
warm caramel or smacked with pillows dropped from the angled chutes on the
sides of the tower. Based on the numbers, our victory seems certain.

I can't complain at all-- But the troops on both sides seem to realize how the
battle's going around the same time I do; the majority of the dread-cousins
turn and try to retreat. Hosts of samurai Haruhi start raising cheers all
around the castle at their success, driving the last few invaders away.

What I _don't_ expect is a host of the same samurai-garbed Haruhi -- a dozen
at least -- suddenly bursting into the room with me. "What," I start, before
Yurie giggles and waves.

"Have fun~!" she cheers. "Suzumiya-hime will want to congratulate you for your
victory!"

And then like _that_ I'm grabbed up and borne aloft by the raucous, cheering
samurai Haruhi.

"General Kyon!" they cheer, and, "For the Kingdom of the SOS Brigade!" along
with a few cries of, "Suzumiya for Empress!"

They haul me effortlessly though the passageways of the tower, tugging at my
armor and gear-- By the time I reach the chamber before Haruhi's, they've
stripped me down to the simple gi worn beneath the armor, and then set me
down-- I'm at least given the dignity of pulling on the over-clothes myself.
Without the armor, I feel almost like I'm just wearing my _underwear_ in the
gi, even though it's now commonly accepted as a martial artist's workout
clothes.

I manage to prevent that thought from making itself a reality -- well, in the
dream, anyway -- though the dozen Haruhi around me still stare as I pull on
the baggy hakama. Right around then, as I'm securing it, the collective
samurai decide I'm taking too long and quickly dress me themselves after all.

...I try and protest, but let's see _anyone_ fend off that many of Haruhi! I
don't think it can be done!

Shortly, I'm presentable, wearing an outfit appropriate for court-- And at
that they fling open the doors to the next chamber and push me in. I stumble
through the doorway, keeping my balance and blinking at the sight of Haruhi
kneeling in the center of the room demurely. Her robes are arranged around
her, and the detail on the seven different colored layers distracts me for a
bit-- To say nothing of the way that the outfit has pooled around her,
captured perfectly in a shaft of sunlight.

Wait, wasn't there something about the rise of the moon? Ah, it's just a minor
detail, and this _is_ a dream....

"Um," I stutter when she looks up, eyelashes fluttering slightly. Even if it's
just a dream, she's made her hair longer. "Ha-- Haru-hime," I choke out. "The
enemy has been driven back! The castle remains secure!"

Despite her cool, she can't prevent the spots of color that appear on her
cheek at that nickname-- I'll remember to remember that one for sure!

"And you have done well," she says smoothly, neither of us trying to adopt the
classic forms of speech. She rises smoothly and glides forward, producing a
rolled scroll from her robes. "As promised, your reward, brave soul! From
history, we're starting the coverage of events leading to the Battle of
Sekigahara-- Chapter seventeen. Math, as usual, same problem numbers for the
next two pages. English is starting chapter twelve, first two pages."

Right-- I try and commit that to memory, nodding.

"And," she says, smirking, "your sister's assignments for Monday and Tuesday.
For science, chapter seven review in complete sentences, and she owes a full-
page report on..." she trails off and winces, looking away in slight
annoyance, "...her Golden Week vacation."

I think my little sister is going to have the most exciting one of those when
it's time to turn in!

Coughing slightly, Haruhi adds, "And math-- Always with the math! Page forty-
seven and forty-nine." She shakes her head, getting back into character, I
guess, and says, "But now, brave hero, for your victory, you have earned a
further reward."

With that, she glides closer, pausing just before me. Wait -- what's this?

Her lips quirk in a smile, and she adds, "This is traditional for these games,
right? You save the 'princess' and get a kiss?"

I stare, my mouth dropping open slightly-- Wait, wait! I'm not sure I'm
prepared-- I mean, I guess I have this coming to me? When we first met in that
dream that ... well, _I_ reminded her of, I kissed _her_ without even asking
permission, so--

"E...er, okay," I cough out, mindful of her sharp gaze on mine. Her eyes
narrow slightly, though she looks satisfied with herself for some reason. One
hand rises to my chin, and to my surprise she turns my face slightly away,
leaning in for--

Oh, a kiss on the cheek? Well, that's fine, I think. As she draws closer, the
entire world shakes incredibly violently, and just before she connects I
realize I'm blinking up into Matsuri's face as she comes in for--

I swiftly roll away, pulling the blankets with me and sending my cousin
crashing to my futon. "Wah!" she yelps, before her face goes straight into my
pillow, muffling her for a moment.

What the hell!?

I stare dumbly as Matsuri raises her head and looks hurt, disoriented from the
abrupt transition.

"Mind your langu--" Aunt Rika starts, poking her head into the room. Wait, was
that aloud? Before I can pursue the thread, Aunt Rika's eyes light on her
daughter and her tired expression darkens. "_Matsuri_! You were _forbidden_
from bothering your cousin and waking him up! Young lady, this behavior is
unacceptable!"

"You're mean!" Matsuri shouts back with childish indignation, glowering at her
mother. "Kyon-nii-sama is _mine_, so it's okay!"

"It is _not_," Aunt Rika growls, shaking her head. "Young lady, you are
grounded to your room, do you understand?"

"Shut up!" Matsuri cries, tears streaming down her face as she hops to her
feet. "I hate you!"

"Matsu--" Aunt Rika cuts off with an exasperated sigh as her daughter tears
past her and down the hall. Not long after, a door slams with enough force to
jar me, and prompt irritated grumbling from the other rooms next to mine. Aunt
Rika closes her eyes and forces a deep breath. "Oh, that little..."

"I...it's alright," I manage. I'm not exactly _thrilled_, but things are
tough, and I'm not really much of one to hold grudges.

Aunt Rika nods absently, before shaking her head. "It's not alright," she
counters, eyes opening. "I'm worried about that girl, and this isn't...." She
trails off, rolling her eyes. "Look at me, giving you even more to worry
about-- You can go back to sleep, Kyon-kun."

"I'm up now, anyway," I say morosely. As much as I do enjoy my sleep -- even
more now that Haruhi and I can do things like that -- Matsuri trying to sneak
in and kiss me has gotten me awake _quite_ effectively. I quickly turn to my
dream journal before I can forget the homework Haruhi relayed for me and my
sister.

Aunt Rika looks pensive, finally asking, "Did you have a nice dream?"

"It was a pretty good one," I agree.

That seems to settle my aunt for some reason, and she gives me a smile,
nodding. "Good," she declares. "Because Kyon-kun may have his hands full-- But
I'll be sure that Matsu-chan doesn't bother you any more."

I nod, giving her a small, grateful smile. She must be stressed, though -- she
didn't use any of her normal sound-effects. Well, I'll do my best to keep the
other cousins in line. As little as I like it, and wish the storm gave me an
excuse to ignore it, doing my homework _does_ seem to set a good example....

* * *

The drone of the teacher at the front of the classroom is dangerous today. I
seem to have adjusted to my sleep cycle when I'm dreaming with Kyon, so I
don't really get tired anymore, but the history lecture being delivered at the
moment is anything but engaging -- the only slight consolation is imagining
the ancient battles leading up to the unification of Japan involving
elementary school students and vats of molten caramel. Completely silly, but
then I guess if Kyon was thinking of it as his actual cousins invading, I can
see not wanting to hurt them -- even if all of it's entirely imaginary anyway.

The end, though... damn, I was close! Sure, it was only a kiss on the cheek
instead of on the lips the way it was in _my_ dream last year, but a few
choice words afterwards might have drawn out some clues about whether he
actually _did_ share that dream with me. Since I know now that it's possible,
I really want to know for sure!

But of course, he got dragged out of the dream, as usual -- his cousins are
lucky I can't give them a piece of my mind in person! Although if everything
for the rest of this week works out, I _will_ be able to.

That brings my thoughts around more to practical matters, though, as the chime
sounds to start lunch. Thinking about much of anything gets put on hold as I
fight my way through the crush to buy my lunch, but rather than my usual
patrol of the school, I just settle down in the courtyard to gather my
thoughts while I eat.

Given what I told the student council president yesterday, I'm going to have
to take some time after classes today to hit up some other clubs for help. The
light music club is an easy one, and I might be able to talk to Sakanaka
during one of the class breaks this afternoon and see if she can pass the word
on to the chorus, too. The computer research club... well, they're already
working for us, and I doubt there's much they'll be able to do to help once
the fundraiser itself arrives -- although if we're going to try selling
things, we could have them sell copies of that game they made and take the
profits for the fundraiser. But I think that's all I can depend on for help,
other than the calligraphy club -- and for that, I'll need to get in touch
with--

"Hiyas, Haru-nyan!" Tsuruya calls out cheerfully.

I look up in surprise as the very person I had in mind bounces up, Mikuru
trailing along a bit behind her. "Tsuruya-san! I was just thinking about you!"

The green-haired girl breaks into a wide grin at that, plopping down on the
edge of the planter where I've made my own seat. "Ohohoho~! What's on your
mind, nyoro?"

Mikuru hangs back a bit, looking a little uncertain, so I motion her over and
pat the edge of the planter opposite to where Tsuruya's sitting. "Come take a
seat, Mikuru-chan!" I order. "Anyway, Tsuruya-san, I don't know if Mikuru-
chan's told you anything about it yet or not, but Kyon's gotten himself stuck
in an actual natural disaster! He was visiting relatives up north for Golden
Week, and while he was there the village where his family lives was cut off by
mudslides!"

Apparently Mikuru _hadn't_ said anything, since Tsuruya looks completely
surprised by that. "No kidding?"

"Yeah!" I confirm. "Anyway, from what I've been able to find out they think
the village might be cut off for another week or more, and they're having to
airlift supplies in while they work on getting the roads cleared and taking
care of all the flooding going on up there. There's absolutely no way I'm
going to sit back and do nothing while one of my Brigade members is stuck in a
situation like that, though, so we're organizing a fundraiser to help out the
relief efforts!"

She nods thoughtfully at that, while Mikuru finally takes a seat next to me
and opens up her bento. "I see!" Tsuruya replies. "Shame to hears something
like that happened to Kyon-kun; I'll definitely chip in!"

"Actually, I was hoping you might be able to help us out with the fundraiser
itself," I explain, setting my sanshoku bread down in my lap. "I've already
got the computer research society helping out, and I'm pretty sure I can get
the light music club to help out too -- maybe put on some kind of performance
or something. I was hoping you might be able to talk to the calligraphy club
and see if they're willing to contribute, too -- maybe making some wall
hangings that we can sell or auction off, stuff like that."

"Hmmm..." Tsuruya looks thoughtful at that. "I dunno, but asking doesn't hurts
anyone - sure, I'll do it!"

"Thanks, Tsuruya-san," I can't help but grin, taking another bite out of my
lunch. "And while I'm on the subject, thanks to you too, Mikuru-chan!"

That startles the red-haired girl, almost making her drop her chopsticks.
"Ah-- what for?"

It's a little unusual for me to thank her for something, but Kyon _did_
suggest that I might be able to get more information if I could be her friend
more -- and honestly, I've got a good excuse. "For the flyers, of course! That
design from yesterday looks great - we'll just need to fill out a little more
information about what people can expect to see there and then we can get a
ton of them printed up and posted all over the place!"

That prompts a blush from Mikuru, while Tsuruya puts on her own grin. "Say,
Haru-nyan... since you're here, I've been hearing some other stuff today, and
I want to gets the real scoop from you!"

"Hearing stuff?" I frown a bit. "What kind of stuff?"

She puts on a coy look at that. "Nothing too much, just that you were seen on
a date with Koizumi-kun over the weekend," she says teasingly.

My palm meets my forehead with an audible slap. "It was _not_ a _date_... I
swear, I'm going to kill Taniguchi."

Tsuruya bursts out laughing at that. "Sorries, sorries... I didn't think you'd
do that - at least not with _him_. Don't worry, I'll make sure Kyon-kun knows
the real story when he gets back!" She gets a shrewd look on her face at that,
then raises an eyebrow. "So if it wasn't a date, what _were_ you up to?"

"Eh, I've been trying to investigate Koizumi a bit," I explain, shaking my
head. "I got a... tip that I might want to check him out a little more closely
-- and when I thought about it, I realized I really _don't_ know very much
about him, even if he is the vice-commander of the Brigade!"

Mikuru actually makes a startled noise at that... dammit, did I just let that
slip in front of her? Well, it's not like I said I'm looking into _her_...
maybe she might even relax a little if she thinks I'm just focusing on
Koizumi?

I take a minute to polish off my lunch, then continue. "Anyway, don't worry
about Kyon -- I already filled him in about it, so it shouldn't come as any
real surprise to him. But anyway, I really appreciate your help with the
calligraphy club! If you can think of anyone else that might want to pitch in
for something like that, have them get in touch with me -- the more help we
can get, the better it'll be!"

"Roger!" Tsuruya says, shooting me a grin and a salute. "Come on, Mikuru-chan
-- we should gets back to class! Catch you later, Haru-nyan!"

Mikuru flashes a slightly worried look at me, then quickly trots away after
her friend. Well... hopefully I haven't freaked her out with the news that I'm
looking into Koizumi... and dammit, she might tell him, too, so he might be
more on his guard. I resist the urge to facepalm again, then stand up to head
back to class myself, putting it out of my mind. I've got enough to worry
about with the fundraiser for now, so _any_ kind of investigating is going to
have to take a backseat!

I throw the wrapper for my sanshoku bread away, then head back into the
building, thinking about what I've still got to do today. I need to touch base
with the light music club and get their help, and check with Sakanaka about
the chorus... then there's seeing if Yuki's got any updates about the travel
arrangements or supplies we should take in, and getting the flyers finished up
and printed so we can start posting them. And then after I get home, I need to
check with my neighbor - it was lucky that the neighbor I tutor every now and
then actually goes to the same school as Kyon's little sister, so getting her
assignments was actually really easy.

Once I get back into the classroom, I settle back in at my desk and dig out
the rough draft of the flyer that Mikuru turned in yesterday. Might as well
get started - it's going to be a busy afternoon!

* * *

The day gets a subdued start, thanks to Matsuri being grounded to her room.
Technically, grounded to the room she's sharing with Yurie and Makoto. The
rain has unfortunately picked up a small bit -- yet again. The uncles all
leave early, trooping down to the school with Aunt Rika to do what repairs and
maintenance they can -- evidently the roof was leaking.

I have a strong suspicion that it's just busywork. Then again, being
completely honest, it's nothing short of a stroke of genius on Aunt Rika's
part if that's the case; having everyone cooped up in the same house, dealing
with increasing restlessness....

After breakfast we go straight into 'school' again -- Aunt Rika leads the
lessons. Just when my sister seems content to goof off, I spread some of the
good cheer that Haruhi lent me. I don't believe it would be possible for my
mother to be any happier, considering, but she completely buys my line about
thinking I can guess which assignments would be given out.

I don't think my _sister_ is nearly as thrilled about it, but since this
leaves her doing different assignments from the cousins, I'm able to dodge
about half of my own homework by helping her out.

Making the best of a bad situation, I suppose.

When we break for lunch, I stretch, wondering if I'll be running food down to
the school, since the mudslide is being left alone. That job is taken by Aunt
Mion and Aunt Shion, insisting that they want to help show support for the
community.

Aunt Rika's already gone, so that leaves Aunt Satoko, my mother, and Aunt Rena
in the house.

The cousins aren't too much of a problem, but ... it's actually rather boring.
I should probably do my homework, but really want a change of pace, or
something to break this dreary cycle.

The only other thing I have to do is read the lucid dreaming book, and I think
I've reached the end of what I could learn from that.

I settle into a couch in the living room and contemplate my options. Unless I
want to play more of the same games with my cousins, or help them with their
own homework, there's not much to do, though.

As if to underscore that thought, Yurie darts out of the hall at top speed,
skidding to a halt and nearly stumbling into the couch, eyes wide. "Kyon-nii!"
she cries. "Matsu-chan is missing!"

"Missing?" I ask, reflexively putting a hand out to catch the smaller girl
before she tips over.

She swallows worriedly and nods, even as my mother looks up in alarm. "She's
not in our room!" she adds. "We thought she was playing, but we looked
everywhere in the house and can't find her!"

"Oh, oh dear," my mother frets, jogging into the kitchen to confer with the
other aunts. "Kyon, keep the children calm," she orders sternly, before
stepping through the door.

Yurie raises her voice, calling, "Matsu-chan's raincoat and an umbrella are
missing, too! She must have run away!"

In response to this, I hear Aunt Rena bark out a curse that she cuts short.

Very shortly, all of the cousins -- minus Matsuri -- are huddled in the living
room, wide-eyed and alarmed. My mother, Aunt Rena, and Aunt Satoko are
debating what to do. Without power or working phones, we can't do much -- and
thanks to the fact that the radio is _here_, there's no way to let Matsuri's
mother even know what's going on!

Well ... this isn't what I would have wanted by a long shot, but enough is
enough. Before the discussion can go much further, trying to sound more
confident than I really feel, I say, "I'll go out and look for her."

"Ah," my mother starts to protest, before my aunt Rena cuts her off.

"If she'll come to anyone, it will be you," she agrees. "But in this
weather...."

"I know her hiding places!" Yurie says quickly. "Let me help!"

"I don't like the idea of Kyon going out in this weather," my mother grumbles,
"but if Matsu-chan is already out there.... And Yurie-chan, too?"

"Yurie-chan will stay here," Aunt Rena says insistently. "She's far too small.
Kyon-kun...." She hesitates, not wanting to counter my mother.

Before I need to push it, my mother sighs, relenting, "We've let Kyon out in
worse conditions than this-- But Yurie-chan is far too small."

"Okay..." Yurie allows quietly.

"I'll be back as quickly as I can," I promise, hurrying to the doorway.

My cousins all burst into protests at this; everyone wants to help, I suppose.
While I'm pulling on my shoes, and the commotion in the living room shows no
sign of dying down, Yurie quietly slips in and gives me a wink. "I'm going
with you, Kyon-nii!" she whispers insistently. "Can you guess her hiding
places, I wonder, I wonder?"

I frown, lacing up my shoes. "Your mother will be furious with me if I bring
you with me," I chide her.

"That's okay!" she returns almost instantly, reaching for her own shoes. "I
sneaked out and found her first! I'll be grounded with Matsu-chan, but that's
okay, too; I won't let her run away again!"

And reading between the lines, if I send Yurie back.... "You're going to sneak
out anyway if I say no?" I guess.

She beams me a bright smile and nods.

I heave a sigh, shaking my head. This is one cousin Haruhi would approve of
... but even if it is only a village, Hinamizawa isn't exactly small. There
are quite a few places Matsuri could have sneaked off to; without Yurie's
help, I could easily end up just wasting my time.

"I'm not going to explicitly agree," I say quietly, grabbing out raincoats and
handing hers over. "But let's hurry."

We step outside, and Yurie is almost instantly blown into me by a gust of
wind. She takes my hand for stability and points down the side of the
mountain. Not the road, but a path that ... in this weather....

Still, if Matsuri went that way, she could have fallen, or slipped in the mud.
Doing our best, we press through the rain -- it's not _quite_ hammering down
like it was last week, but the steady trickle soaks us both through very
quickly.

I manage not to fall during the slide down what's probably a much more
passable path in clear weather. Yurie pipes up and points out branches that
have broken recently -- evidence suggesting that Matsuri has actually been
this way. That's encouraging, though we'll have to go around the mountain for
the long hike back up the hill. I don't see leading two little girls back up
this trail.

In fact, considering how much we're stumbling and sliding as it is, I doubt I
could get up just by myself!

We reach the bottom of the hill easily enough, and there find the most certain
evidence of Matsuri's path yet. The mucky puddle shows fairly clear -- and
worryingly deep -- prints leading off in one direction.

"I know!" Yurie calls excitedly over the rain and wind, pointing to the
village. "This way, Kyon-nii!"

"If you know, let's stick to the roads," I say, pulling her back before she
can charge through the trees. "We'll make better time on firmer ground."

She nods quickly and changes direction.

We spend the next few minutes trudging through the rain at a pace slightly
slower than a jog -- any faster and we might slip in a muddy patch. It's only
at this point that I realize just how much of a panic Aunt Rena must be in.
Yurie has to know how upset her mother will be after this, though....

She's a brave little girl, not just a clever one. Even if she weren't my
cousin, I'd have to make sure she wasn't hurt doing this.

"Where are we going?" I ask -- not that I could send her back alone at this
point.

"Saiguden!" she answers without hesitation.

The ritual storage shed by the shrine? Thinking that, I increase our pace
slightly; the shed isn't that far from the river, and with the dam overflowing
already, and all this extra rain....

I don't know that I've ever made as fast a trip between Aunt Mion's house and
the shrine grounds.

I pause to huff for breath and take the situation in when we're twenty meters
from the shed -- which is only thirty meters from the river itself. Supposedly
it's a very old building -- a cornerstone of the village history and
tradition.

That's not what's on my mind, however.

What occupies my attention is the fact that the river has risen, waters
lapping at the muddy soil between us and the shed already. "Matsuri!" I yell,
over the storm.

I'm echoed immediately by Yurie's shaky, "Matsu-chan!"

Barely audible, I can hear Matsuri's pitiable cry for help. So -- Yurie was
right. I think that as I reach the door, realizing I've waded through a few
meters of ankle-deep and rising water. When I reach the shed's door, the first
thing that I notice is that the shed itself seems to be shifted slightly. I'm
not sure ... is it sinking into the mud? The foundation slipping?

The door doesn't fit right in the frame, but I brace myself as best as I can
and force it open with my shoulder. It's a good thing it opens inward;
otherwise the edge would stick on the mud. I don't know if _anyone_ could open
it, then.

Inside, the scene is worse than I imagined. I don't have _any_ idea why the
walls of the shed would be lined with such dangerous looking objects, but I
don't have time to really consider what they are -- or are for. The water's
filled the bottom of the shed, and I realize why Matsuri hasn't tried to climb
up and escape the ventilation openings along the roof.

An unfamiliar statue in the back of the shed shifted and fell over, and she's
pinned under it, floundering--

It takes only a glimpse of her terrified face to goad me into action. Some
part of my mind distantly notes that the shed isn't as well constructed as I
thought; the floor is earth, not stone. And that means that right now, it's
more _mud_. Likely, that same distant part of my mind observes, it really _is_
just sinking into the mud, and that's what all of the problems we're facing
are for.

The statue is the size of a man -- and looks like one, too.

But the majority of my focus is on the burning need to get Matsuri out from
underneath it.

I brace myself again as best I can and give a single tremendous heave-- And
before I have to deal with the fact that I'm not sure what to do next, Yurie
is at my side, hauling her cousin away with a look of fierce determination --
though she looks frightened nearly out of her wits. Who can blame her?!

The statue is lighter than I anticipated -- probably hollow -- but as soon as
the girls are free, I toss it aside and scoop both of them up in my arms. A
handful of steps out the door, slogging through the water, I realize the river
is surging even _higher_.

I don't even bother looking upstream as Yurie wails in alarm -- I just aim
uphill and run for everything I'm worth.

* * *