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The Unwilling Slider [Azecreth & Wingshadow]

More sedate conversation returned, and Kyon included himself as needed as time slipped by. At least this had stayed much the same, meaning he wasn't too much of a fish out of water, though he might have been a bit less talkative than usual as he tried to work out what was going on here, and the changes in this universe that he had to work out. By the same token, he reflected on his current situation. Was he a slider after all, or was this another plot? Was he just random jumping about from one universe to another, with no way to get back, or was there a plan. It hurt his forehead to think about it, that much was for sure.

At last though, things began to wind down. "See you later," he called to Mikuru as she departed to go change and then head on to classes, denying him the chance to talk with her about what had just happened. Koizumi went as well, earning a dull and disapproving look as he played the suck up, as always. Though by now Kyon was used to it, he just wished that the man would stop enabling Haruhi so much, even in this universe where things seemed a little less frivolous and more aimed towards productive things.

But soon enough they were gone, leaving Kyon alone with Haruhi. For the moment he focused on finishing his lunch, so he would not be hungry when it came time for class later. Though the fact that it was the same lunch he remembered eating before did take a bit away from the good feelings, at least in his mind. But he supposed that he would survive.

There wasn't much time to do so though, as almost immediately after the door swung closed Haruhi made her way over, drawing his attention with a hand on his shoulder, and a softness that was uncharacteristic of her. Normally he would have been worried by her being so close, but at the moment he just sat and looked at her. "Yes Haruhi," he asked, eyes flickering upwards as their forehead touched. Just what was going on now, what suffering was to be inflicted on him next?
 
For some time, Haruhi simply stared at him, allowing Kyon to come to his own conclusions concering what would follow. Her hand gripped his shoulder a bit more firmly, not to a painful degree but firm enough to reduce the likelihood of escape to near zero. Whatever she had in mind, she did not wish for him to back away from it. After a moment longer, she tilted her head back slightly, breaking the unexpected contact between their foreheads before proceeding with whatever it was that she had in mind.

Haruhi's eyes slowly closed, and she maneuvered herself even closer, sliding into his lap with her arms drawn around him, pulling herself into a warm embrace. Her motions had flowed so naturally, with such calm form that surely this had not been the first time she had performed such an action. By some strange twist of fate, perhaps this had been the first time from Kyon's understanding, but not for Haruhi. She rested her head comfortably against his shoulder, seemingly content with their current pose. Suffering, perhaps, did not describe the situation as aptly as he had expected.

Her hands pressed against his back, fingertips grasping his school uniform even as she straddled him. Whatever changes this universe might have possessed, Haruhi's own behavior once again had shifted the most, as her more apparent kindness bloomed into overt affection. Exactly how these changes had come about, or even how this changed dynamics within the Brigade itself remained unclear, as Haruhi seemed to restrain herself when in front of the other brigade members. Whatever the case may have been, Kyon had a brunette goddess hugging him in the clubroom.
 
Kyon wasn't sure what he was expecting as he met Haruhi's gaze, the seconds ticking by. The firm grip reminded him of the fact that she could have been on any sports team she liked, and it definitely shot down the notion of making any kind of escape if she didn't want to let him go. He could only hope that whatever it was wasn't too bad, though she wasn't wearing the kind of face that said he was about to experience a serious amount of pain. No, this was something else entirely, and square outside his realm of experience.

As such, he was taken by surprise as she shifted around the table to slide onto his lap, pulling him into a hug at the same time. Shock made itself known at that point, for this action that was most definitely un-Haruhi like. And it seemed that this wasn't the first time she had done such a thing either. Well, he could see why Taniguchi might be jealous now, given how highly he rated Haruhi amongst the girl classmates.

As for himself, his mind was racing. Certainly he couldn't deny that Haruhi wasn't physically attractive, with her attitude being most of the problem, and that appeared to be mollified here. So what was he supposed to do? Such overt affection was something he was unused to, even as her head rested against his shoulder. Yet he had to do something, or else he might get some sort of punishment for not reciprocating, and that might invite further world altering troubles.

So he did the only thing that he could do, and after a few moments he would shift slightly forward, letting Haruhi continue to straddle him while he embraced her in turn, and fighting back what dirty thoughts might arise in the process as the result of having someone attractive sitting in his lap. Now was not the time for that sort of thing! He'd pray to God for assistance if the closest thing he was to get aid from wasn't the one currently doing it to him at the moment. He'd just have to bear with it and hope that it ended soon, for his own sanity.
 
When Kyon returned the embrace, Haruhi let out a soft sound that resonated somewhere between a sigh and a purr, apparently quite appreciative of such a gesture. She tightened her arms around him slightly, then after some time she eased back, her hands sliding around to rest at his sides as she opened her eyes and looked at him once again. Such affectionate gestures definitely did not befit her, or at least did not befit the Haruhi Kyon knew so well. The Haruhi he knew would simply dismiss romantic gestures outright, let alone initiate them. This Haruhi, however, sensed some hesitance in his actions, a fact that triggered questions.

"Kyon," Haruhi blinked once, "Are you feeling alright?" Whatever their relationship happened to be, Kyon had failed to meet her expectations. "You didn't eat anything weird again, did you? You usually dive right in when I get in the mood..." Just then, the clock began to chime, prompting Haruhi to click her tongue in disdain toward the timekeeper which dared to interrupt her. She quickly vacated Kyon's lap and stood up on her own, rushing over to her bag to retrieve it.

"We'll continue this later," Haruhi smiled, then vanished from the room as well, her rapid footsteps carrying her down the long hallway leading from the old school building.
 
While part of Kyon's mind delighted in what was going on, and another part of his mind tried to keep him from doing anything that would get him hurt, a third part simply wondered what the heck was going on right now. He was...hugging Haruhi. The same Haruhi who had probably never considered an actual romantic relationship outside of manga and such. Though he supposed that it was better than being reality whammied into a relationship with Koizumi or something. That would be awkward. No, wait, focus Kyon!

However, such hesitation and confusion by this being the first time for him to experience this sort of thing had a negative reaction, as Haruhi picked up on the fact that something was wrong. Fortunately the bell saved him, earning a sigh of relief for himself. "Sorry," he apologized, as he packed up his stuff and rose from his seat then, once Haruhi had rushed out of the room.

Standing, he facepalmed as he grumbled to himself. "Get it together Kyon," he said, trying to get his head back in place. This universe, if it could even be called that, was weird. Still, for all the problems that it posed, it did beat the timeline Nagato had made, if only because he had managed to involve getting knocked out, punched, kicked, or otherwise harmed by people. And he did envy the him in this place, who got to have a romantic relationship with Haruhi without the abuse. ....However that had happened. He'd have to be prepared for next time, to avoid raising her suspicion, not that he was complaining about that.

Actually, now that he thought about it, headed back to his classroom, there was something odd going on. IN that last timeline, he had been in a relationship with Mikuru, admittedly childhood friends but perhaps growing into more. Here, it was with Haruhi. Though God help him if it was Koizumi next. And in both of them, Nagato was just gone, like she had never existed. What did it mean? Why was that the case? He could only hope that the will-o-wisps had some answers for him.

So, arriving back at the classroom, he sat down at his desk and prepared to face the rest of the day. Let the struggle begin once more.
 
Each class passed much like it had before. Apparently, curriculum remained a great constant between universes despite switching between parallel timelines or whatever mess Kyon had managed to land himself in this time. This time, however, Haruhi's gaze felt much more centered toward the front of the room, which Kyon's back just so happened to obscure. This may have simply been a coincidence, perhaps, but considering that this was Haruhi, the likelihood was remarkably low. In any case, once classes for the day finally reliquished their hold on the students, Haruhi made it a point to approach Kyon once again before heading off.

"See you tomorrow, Kyon," she smiled, earning the pair a similar response from the room's occupants as they had received earlier on that very same day, "Watch out for foxfires on the way home... I hear they tend to approach people when they are alone." She then turned and stepped out, passing the other students as they packed their things and gathered in small groups to discuss possible afternoon activities.

Taniguchi, however, made it a point to approach Kyon, taking a seat at the desk in front of him, "I just don't get it... I keep asking you the same question, but you never give me a straight answer." He shook his head and held up his hands, "I understand that you two aren't officially going out or anything, but its as plain as day that she's into you, man. Just what sort of relationship do you even have?" His tone lowered slightly, casting a quick glance around the room to ensure no one was eavesdropping on the conversation, "I mean... You have at least done it once, right?"

He cleared his throat, "Anyway, I can sort of understand why you'd want to keep your relationship with Haruhi ambiguous, but think of the rest of us for a change, will ya? How can you just monopolize all the high-tier girls in the entire school?" His tone became somewhat dramatic, "And I'm not even exaggerating! Haruhi, Asahina, Asakura... I mean, even that first year girl seems to pay attention to you." Taniguchi reached out and took hold of Kyon's shoulders, shaking him back and forth, "Share some of your popularity with me, man!"
 
Kyon was pleasantly surprised to find that this material was basically the same as what he had experienced 'yesterday'. That made it easier to get through with the work, and that he didn't have to pay as much attention to the lessons. Which was good, when he continually felt Haruhi's gaze upon his back. It could have been chance, a tick of her mood, but knowing her that probably wasn't the case. Well, he'd deal with it either way.

At last classes came to an end, and as Kyon packed up he found himself approached by Haruhi once more, though that was unremarkable since she sat by him anyway. Right, see you tomorrow," Kyon agreed with a cutt nod, ignoring the looks that he got from the rest of the room. Honestly, didn't they have anything better to do right now than just watch him? He couldn't hold to that promise though. He needed to find those fox fires if he was going to get his answers. Probably.

Sadly, before he could escape himself he was approached by Taniguchi, his 'friend', as far as such a term could be used. As expected though, it seemed to be complaints about how he had managed to somehow get in a relationship with one of the hottest girls in their class, as if he was capable of talking about something unrelated to women. "I can't give you information I don't have," Kyon replied in a deadpan manner, showing a total lack of sympathy for his denied buddy.

While forced to lean in to hear what he said next, Kyon simply continued to give him that same look of incomprehension. He certainly didn't know if they had done what Taniguchi was implying, though he was inclined to err on the side against that particular thing, if only because of principle if nothing else. He would not take advantage of a lady like that!

Then suddenly he was grabbed by the shoulders, Taniguchi shaking him as Kyon did his best to wrestle free, or to simply shy back a bit for his own personal space. "How is it my fault that none of them find you interesting? I'm not forcing them," he pointed out, before something clicked in his mind. Wait...what was that last thing he had said? "Hey, wait, which first year student?" There was confusion in his tone, but if anyone would overlook how odd it might be, it would be Taniguchi in one of his emotion fueled rants. Hopefully.
 
"Yes, I know that sharing popularity makes no sense at all, but I'm willing to try, damn it! We could walk down the hallway together or something, at least!" Taniguchi refused to yield his grip on Kyon's shoulders until the realization that Kyon's question did not refer to this parting jab. He released him and settled back into his seat, a sigh escaping him, "You mean you haven't even noticed her staring at you during PE? Life must really be great for you, buddy, if the attention of A-class girls doesn't even faze you anymore."

He shrugged before continuing, "Her name is Yuki Nagato, and according to my information she's a member of the computer club. Apparently she's some sort of prodigy or something, but she's a real odd one. With scores like hers, she could have gone to any school in the country, but for some reason she chose to come to this one. Weird, right?"

"Anyway, she's really taciturn and allegedly she hasn't even made a single friend, not even among the computer club members," Taniguchi shook his head, "So of course I'm going to notice when her head turns when you run by. Are you trying to tell me that you've never even talked to her once? You really aren't normal, are you?" His shoulders slumped, "Well, considering you're practically going out with Haruhi, I suppose that goes without saying..."

Taniguchi then stood up from his seat and slapped Kyon on the shoulder before hoisting his bag onto his shoulder and heading for the door with his hands in his pockets, "She should still be in the computer club room if you want to see her... They say that people only have one period in their life when they are popular, and I suppose yours is now. Might as well enjoy it, right?" He slunk out of the room without another word, leaving Kyon with one of the biggest leads he had gotten so far.
 
Well, Kyon was glad to be released, and he shook his head while doing his best to convey how confused he was at the moment. Maybe Taniguchi would take pity on him and explain, which would also serve as a nice distraction for the current state of affairs. And such was a relief, as he began to explain just who this student was. Though admittedly he was still sparse on the descriptions at first, as per usual really.

His eyes widened in surprise at the name, a chill in his bones Yuki Nagato. So she was here after all! It just seemed that she had joined the computer club rather than the literature club. It was still a good fit for her, though he had to wonder what she was doing, since it was probably hard to observe Haruhi from such a position. Though, if Asakura was around (a more fearful shiver ran down his spine at that) it would explain a lot. They could probably divide responsibility better.

He was silent then until Taniguchi left, leaving him to his thoughts. It was taking him a moment to process the information that he had just learned, that was for sure. Nagato...Nagato was here! And if she was, a solution to his problems presented itself! Or, at least, the ability to get answers. Though he couldn't let happiness overwhelm him. t would be terrible to terrify her out of her life if he was wrong and this was like the last time he'd been in a situation like this. He needed to proceed carefully.

So with his stuff gathered, he moved out of the room at a quick walk, making a beeline for the clubroom, and the computer clubroom next to it. Hopefully Haruhi hadn't blackmailed a computer out of them like in his timeline, or else this might be a tad awkward. But he made his way there quickly nonetheless, to see if he could find whom he was looking for.

Arriving, he took a deep breath to steel himself before opening the door, poking his head in. "Hello," he said after a moment, sweeping the room at the same time. "I'm looking for Yuki Nagato." Here went nothing.
 
When Kyon entered, the club room looked much like it had the last time he saw it, albeit without any of the usual club members being present. The computers sat in neat rows across the room, screens facing toward each of the empty seats. At the far side of the room, sat a familiar-looking head and shoulders in a corner at one of the more fancy-looking setups. Upon hearing the spoken name, she turned to look in her direction, a shimmer of light catching her glasses rims. Before him sat none other than Yuki Nagato herself, her usual calm, emotionless gaze fixed upon him.

She said nothing at all in reply, however, her eyes silently studying him from across the room. Perhaps she was confused as to why Kyon had sought her out. Perhaps she was overjoyed that he had gone out of his way to speak to her. As usual, her expressions (or lack thereof) were difficult to read so the truth of the matter remained a complete and utter mystery. She remained silently staring, never once attempting to return to whatever it was that she was working on at the computer terminal. No, the young man who stood in the doorway drew a much more vested interest from the data interface.
 
There was an incomprehensible thrill that ran through Kyon at the reflection of light, the monetarily shine that revealed the person he was looking for, Yuki Nagato, sitting near the back of the room with a computer that definitely looked impressive. Somehow he wasn't surprised to see that set up, and luckily no one else was around. And yet as per the usual, she displayed no emotion, simply watching him and waiting to see what he would do. And really, with all that he had seen of her, it didn't surprise him in the least anymore.

"Oh, there you are," he said as he stepped inside, closing the door as he began to walk over, while thinking up the best question to ask. He needed to know if she was still with the Integrated Data Entity, and that meant asking something that only she, and it, could know. Ideally, something that wouldn't sound too weird in the process, if he was wrong. He didn't need a repeat of those incidents from Nagato's timeline.

Quickly he seized on one, just before he came to a stop in front of her. Looking down, their eyes would meet before Kyon went on, ready to put this to the test. "I had a question for you." Hand resting on the desk, leaning slightly downwards, he took the plunge. "Do you know who John Smith is?"
 
At first Nagato said nothing at all, her gaze fixed on his, broken only by the occasional blink. Her head tilted back as he approached while she remained seated, hands calmly resting on her lap. Those eyes of hers devoid of expressed emotion granted tiny glimpses into the conscious mind which worked behind them, the mind of a humanoid interface whose sole purpose of existence, initially at least, resided in her capacity to observe Haruhi. Did she still operate in such a role in this universe, however?

With the question spoken, she continued to simply stare, until at last her lips parted to form words, "Historically, John Smith was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He helped establish Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, while acting as leader of the Virginia Colony." Nagato then continued, "However, the name John Smith has also been used, under various circumstances, as an alias. You yourself have used such a title in the past, in order to conceal your identity from Haruhi Suzumiya."

Nagato blinked twice during the long pause that followed, calm and reserved as always, yet there was something different about the way she looked at him with such single-mindedness. She gestured toward one of the many empty chairs in the room, "Have a seat."
 
Kyon coughed, holding back that sinking sensation that began to grow as Nagato launched into some sort of historical lecture on John Smith. No, that wasn't what he had meant! It certainly raised his fears that this Nagato was normal, if standoffish and distant as usual. But then a sigh of relief came as she revealed the rest, indicating that she was, in fat, still an alien here to observe Haruhi, and knew of his exploits. That was good.

"Sure," he replied at her suggestion, pulling up a seat and resting near her. At the same time, his attention was focused on her. There was something different about her, he could tell. He just had no idea what it might be. But given how everything else here had changed, it was hardly surprising, to be sure. It would be unreasonable to expect that even she would escape intact from whatever had happened here.

He waited for a moment, working out the best way to go about this, before simply saying it. "Nagato, I need your help." She was the one most capable of providing actually useful assistance, and now that he had finally found her, they could get to work solving this whole mess. Hopefully.
 
"The Data Integration Thought Entity has seen fit to place various restrictions upon my direct intervention in matters concerning Haruhi Suzumiya," Nagato seemed to preemptively bat away the suggestion, "From the start, the Data Integration Thought Entity understood that errors surrounding Haruhi were unavoidable, which is the reason for the distance I have placed between myself and Haruhi, yet that alone has proven insufficient. Other interfaces have observed my progression since the last incident, and have determined that the errors within my data have increased at an alarming rate far beyond the acceptable bounds. Although the Data Integration Thought Entity is still held at a standstill due to your intervention, it may be inadvisable for me to continue to..."

Nagato's words trailed off until they were practically incomprehensible, but abruptly revived shortly thereafter, "...Which is to say, the errors within my data are not centered around Haruhi. They are centered around you." Her hands which rested on her lap had curled into tight fists at some point, a fact which only became evident as she gripped her skirt.

Nagato gave Kyon another long pause, her gaze not once parting from his own, "How may I be of assistance?" Nagato's words simply did not match up. What exactly was she getting at? Was she trying to say that she would defy the Data Integration Thought Entity simply because Kyon asked it of her? This certainly seemed to be the case...
 
Kyon's heart fell as Nagato rejected his request, citing the Integrated Data Entity and the control that it had over Nagato and her activities. It was a reasonable fear given what had happened when she had rewritten the universe, but he had hoped that it wouldn't prove a hindrance now. After all, this was still a major problem that needed to be dealt with, and not one of her causing. Who knew how it might impact Haruhi, with his changes in behavior? Of course, assuming that particular incident had resolved itself the same way.

Then the rest of what she said registered. "O-Oh. I see," he said almost matter of factly, taken aback by that. He knew that the impact he had had on her was drastic, which was why that whole previous event had happened in the first place, but such out and out confirmation was unlike her. Was this a peculiarity of this universe, or did his Nagato feel the same way? Right now, there was no way to know.

Well, he supposed that he should focus on the matter at hand in the end, rather than wasting time. Even as she offered him her assistance now, it still threw him off. This was apparently beyond her scope to interfere with, so why was she helping? But that was a silly question. Like always, it was because he asked, and because they were friends. Or so he hoped anyway.

With that said, he began. "I think I may be...jumping realities," he explained without preamble, keeping his attention focused as he explained. "I dozed off in class this morning, and when I woke up things were different. Asahina was my childhood friend rather than a time traveler, Haruhi was acting different, and you weren't around at all. then when I went to sleep at home, I woke up here, with you in the computer club, and me in some sort of romantic relationship with Haruhi." And earning the ire of the entire male population of the school with the exception of Koizumi in the process.

With the explanation over, he finished up. "I was hoping that you or the Integrated Data Entity might know something about what's going on, given what happened before."
 
Nagato did not even flinch when Kyon discussed the nature of his problem, her exterior remaining quite neutral throughout his explanation. Moreover, when he finished she responded almost immediately, "Within the fabric of time and space, there exists multiple, non-intersecting time planes. Under normal circumstances, traveling between these time planes is impossible, and gaining knowledge of them through direct observation is likewise impossible. However, under abnormal circumstances, their existence and the influence that one has on the others becomes more clear. Ordinarily, the distance between these planes is such that even if significant deviations occur, it does not significantly alter their direction or focus. In our case, our world is based around Haruhi Suzumiya's subconscious mind, and no matter how she directs the flow of data, it does not significantly change the course of our time plane."

"However, recently there have been gaps appearing within the fabric of time and space, and as these gaps continue to grow, it has caused instability in the direction of the time planes." Nagato continued, "These gaps are caused by what are known as rifts. Rifts are typically quite rare, and in small numbers they do not pose a significant threat. The gaps typically only exist for brief moments, and collapse entirely afterward. The root case of these rifts remains an enigma, but whatever the reason may be, in this case they appear to be drawn to your conscious mind."

"Based on your experiences, I have deduced that your conscious mind has become linked to that of your counterpart in separate time planes. The gaps in data allow for these linkages to exist, and your mind is transferred between the time planes when your body's connection to your mind is at its weakest, specifically when you are unconscious," Nagato's explanation continued, "For each time plane to continue to function, all parts of it must be in place. As a result, the passage of time will remain fixed until your mind returns to each time plane, and this pattern will continue until the links are severed. This results in an ever-increasing time rift, as the time planes by their very nature must remain in sync with respect to time."

"The situation, however, is more dangerous than you are likely to realize," Nagato's tone became more ominous, "Each time plane requires your conscious mind, yet due to the linkages, they cannot all possess it at once. As a result, the time planes which have become linked through your mind will start to be drawn closer together, and the data gaps will grow even further. If left unchecked, this will result in an inevitable collision between time planes. Exactly what end result this will bring remains unknown, but the Data Integration Thought Entity theorizes that it may result in the mutual destruction of all linked time planes."

-----

(Note: exchanged "paradox" for "rift", since it fits what I had in mind better)
 
Kyon would admit that he got lost amidst the technical speak that Nagato threw at him when he had finished, but he did his best to follow along. What he did get was something about alternate realities, and something about how paradoxes were causing holes in reality, which had centered around him this time. Though he supposed he shouldn't be surprised by that, given where he lived and what he interacted with every day. It was only inevitable that if there was a hole in reality, he would be the one to fall through it.

What he did understand though was that apparently time in these different universes only moved when he was awake in them, and given that he shuffled around between them, that was going to be less than fun, that was for sure. Actually, it was apparently making things worse, and he held back a groan of annoyance, pain, and all sorts of other things. It just kept getting better, didn't it. "Alright."

But he spoke too soon, and quickly enough Nagato confirmed that it wasn't just a matter of personal annoyance, bur rather that all three universes were in threat of destruction. That was bad, very bad, and he couldn't hide that from his expression as it filled with shock and horror. "What do we need to do to stop it," he asked, leaning forward. If anyone would have an answer, it would be her.
 
Nagato continued, "The links between the time planes allow your consciousness to move from one plane to the next. This observation presents three possible solutions. First, your consciousness is terminated, essentially destroying the anchor point between the links. However, this option is neither desirable nor feasible for a multitude of reasons. Second, the links themselves are severed. This option is also impractical, as the reasons behind the links being centered on your consciousness is not fully understood, making any possible attempt to break them inadvisable. The means by which to sever the links is also unknown. Third, destroy all rifts and prevent new ones from forming. This would be the preferred course of action. However, additional information on the process by which rifts are formed and maintained would be required."

Nagato returned his gaze blankly, "In short, I do not know." Silence reigned within the room as the true reality of the situation began to sink in. At least three different universes were slowing being drawn together with Kyon at the center, and the alien that had in so many cases before had proven an invaluable ally in his time of need had no means by which to save him. Nagato leaned forward toward Kyon, her right hand reaching upward to adjust her glasses slightly while the eyes behind them continued to remain fixed on him. Has this been the reason she looked at him from afar? Was it because she had noticed, yet had found no way out?
 
Once more the confusing technical talk resumed, and Kyon resumed his efforts to try and understand it. He listened quietly as Nagato explained the options, obviously not a fan of the one that involved killing him to try and separate these planes. Fortunately Nagato agreed with that as well, but the other ideas were also less than promising. Not that he had much of a choice either way, but he would take anything he could get. And yet, there didn't seem to a way that was sure to work to try and solve this.

In fact, that was the thing that took his back the most, his eyes widening as Nagato revealed that she didn't know. Fear and uncertainty clawed at him as he held his silence, unsure as to what he should do or how to act. If she didn't know, then what sort of chance did he have? Admittedly the same argument could be made for that time loop in the summer, but that would have been over a lot quicker if Nagato had been allowed to act, or so he assumed.

After what seemed like an eternity, he at last clawed something free to actually say. "Okay, thanks anyway." he would just have to figure it out himself. Somehow. He had no clue how he could do it, but he would. He only made a token attempt to move before something else occurred to him, a reasonable question to ask, and the perfect person to ask it to. "Um, Nagato, how long do I have before these 'planes' are supposed to collide?" He'd like to know what sort of deadline he was on, after all.
 
Nagato seemed to pick on the conflict, fear, and anxiety he felt, as she lifted her right hand and placed it on top of his head, then placed her left hand on his shoulder before drawing herself closer, resting his head against her chest. "I will not allow the planes to collide," Nagato replied firmly, "I will find a way, and I will ensure that you are protected as well. I promise." While still in this pose, she answered his question, "If the planes continue to migrate toward each other at their current rate, you have approximately one month's time before the distance reaches a critical point. This will be three month's time from your perspective, assuming the time spent in each of the three planes is approximately equal."

She continued to hold his head in a comforting gesture, and although her voice never varied from the usual even tone, her words flowed much more smoothly. Her eyes peered down at him, with calm determination. Doubtless anyone who stumbled upon this scene would get completely the wrong idea, but Nagato at least cared nothing for such things. No, much more important matters demanded her attention.

Nagato's thumb moved back and forth slightly, pinching a lock of hair between her fingers. Her entire hand began to wave across his head, as her silent gaze continued. "I will find a way," she repeated, just as resolutely as the first.
 
Kyon was poised, ready for the bad news that was to come, only to let out a sigh as he heard that he had a month at least. That would be plenty of time to solve his problem, right? Well, such things were deceptive, he knew, but it was at least a time frame that he could hold himself to. And it was better than that time loop in the summer. He knew that they would be able to do it in the time that they had to go with. One way or another, they would figure this out.

Though, he was taken aback, his eyes almost crossing as he glanced up at her hand in confusion, before he found himself pressed against her chest, resulting in his cheeks heating up once more. Admittedly he probably shouldn't put too much into it, but it was impossible not to, especially with all that had been said by her before. Whatever would happen, he could be sure that he had Nagato on his side, and the same could probably said for his own Nagato as well, if she didn't yet know of the situation at hand.

"Uh, thanks," he said at that point, not sure what else to say. He made no attempt to move away though, at least at the moment. If someone walked in they would definitely get the wrong idea, but he was just as oblivious to that as usual. Though, a thought occurred to him, and he was quick to act upon it. "Hey, Nagato," he asked then. "Can you tell me about this world, like with Haruhi and me? If I'm going to have to do stuff in this 'plane', I'd like to have some idea of the history, just to not get people suspicious that something is different." He wasn't sure how much it would help, but he could ask.
 
When Kyon mentioned Haruhi, Nagato's hand stopped moving, a brief pause preceding her reply, "In the current time plane, Haruhi and yourself are in a relationship in which neither side has verbally or demonstratively solidified said relationship. This relationship began shortly after the incident in which the two of you became locked in a closed space together. However, the relationship itself changed little with respect to her club's activities or focus, and the regularly scheduled trips and group activities continued as usual. It was not until Mikuru Asahina unintentionally discovered the two of you in a position denoting intimacy that the other club members became aware of the situation. Relational progress between the two of you has not progressed significantly since that point of time, but Haruhi's state of contentment would imply that the current course is desired."

Nagato then continued, "Haruhi Suzumiya considers me a rival and opponent, as a member of the computer club. On several occasions she has proposed competitions between our respective clubs, but no clear winner has been established. This as well is likely as a result of Haruhi desiring a worthy rival or foe with which to contend. She is not aware of my assistance in resolving various incidents in the past, and I have no intention of revealing such to her in the future either. She is also unaware of your familiarity with me. Our current meeting has extended past any other discussion's duration by over fifteen minutes and counting."

"Concerning your duties within the club, you regularly assist in planning the group activities and trips as necessary, offering criticism as necessary to prevent Haruhi from becoming too excited, while at the same time remaining passively supportive of her interests. The other two members offer their support to you as necessary, although their involvement has decreased somewhat since the discovery of your relationship with Haruhi," Nagato then titled her head to the side slightly, "Is more information necessary?"
 
Kyon was silent as he listened to everything, brow furrowing slightly at the same time. Still, there was also a sigh of relief at certain points. Well, now he knew what he could tell Taniguchi, that was for sure. He had the feeling that while Haruhi was one for torrid romances, she wouldn't be quite so gungo ho when she got into one herself. At least for that one particular step. But it would make things a bit simpler, and he was glad for the information that she had to provide.

"Oh, I see," he noted, glancing up at her then. So they were supposed to be rivals? Well, that would make collaborating a bit difficult, that was for sure. And he supposed that it was a good thing that Haruhi had gone home, and so wasn't around to accidentally stumble in on this. Doubtlessly she would throw a fit, and he would have to stage damage control as usual. He'd just as much save himself the headache, if he could.

Everything else though seemed relatively the same. He kept Haruhi from getting too crazy, supported her, and helped plan stuff, while the other two helped him in turn. It would be harder without Nagato, to some extent, but he supposed that having her as a competitive draw for Haruhi's attention would be good for her. It'd give her something to focus on. Well, that and the kissing anyway.

Then he frowned slightly, otherwise considering what she had said. "Alright, thanks," he said gratefully, genuinely glad or her help. "I think that should be fine." He could work out the rest himself. Though another thought did occur to him, which he decided to pursue. "Wait, are you connected to the other Integrated Data Entities on the other planes, or just this one?" the way she had talked seemed to imply that she did, but he might as well make sure. "Since I know my original plane, that just leaves the third one, and all I know about that is that Asahina isn't a time traveler and you aren't there."
 
"Data cannot ordinarily travel between planes," Nagato replied, "This includes communication and the transfer of information." When he mentioned that she was not present in the third plane, she quickly added, "Significant differences between the planes may exist. However, a different interface may have taken my role within that plane, or my role may have been entirely unnecessary. There is insufficient information to draw conclusions with any certainty at this point in time." She finally let go of Kyon, taking half a step back from him as she did so. Significant differences, indeed, such as Asakura's continued existence in both of the alternate planes, whereas she had long since been deleted in his own.

"One more thing," Nagato sat down in her seat once again, resting her hands in her lap, "The rifts appear in a different form. An entity of some kind may have tampered with them, which may account for their unusual role and longevity in this incident. Proceed with caution." The light outside the far window began to dim, but even so Nagato expressed no desire to either leave the club room or conclude their discussion. Rather, she remained at his disposal, at his convenience one might even venture.
 
"Oh, okay then," Kyon ceded. Well then, he would just have to relay information between the planes, kinda like a messenger boy. At the very least, thee shouldn't be anything wrong with having the two Nagatos that he knew existed both working on the problem. That should increase their chance of coming up with a successful outcome. He'd have to remember that the next time he made it back to his plane. Which would hopefully be soon, as far as he was concerned. He did enjoy being here, but some other normalcy would be nice.

At her warning, he could only nod. "I'll be careful." He certainly didn't relish the opportunity or the possibility of getting stabbed again. Not that he expected Asakura was actually behind all of this, but there was a real chance that she still had her insane tendencies, the ones that would involve stabbing him to see what Haruhi would do. He wasn't going to risk it when it came to the Integrated Data Entity.

"Well, I guess I better get going then," he said at last, rising from his seat. Better get home before someone saw this and got the wrong idea. Though he only took a step or two before looking back at the alien. "Oh yeah, do you know what's up with the fox fires springing up around the place? They were in the other planes too." And one talked to him, though he wouldn't mention that just yet.
 
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