Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ The Melancholy of Sora Kazano ❯ Getting to Know the Others ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3 - Getting to Know the Others

 

After I went home around four o'clock, I dumped my school work on my orange sheeted bed and found Naminé's book amongst the various notebooks and folders I used for school. Pulling the paperback book from the pile, I sat down on my swivel chair in front of my desk, turned on the desk light, and began to read.

About two hours later, I found myself dozing off, my interest in the overly descriptive prose fading. I wonder how Naminé found it interesting. No, I wonder why in the world I'm following Naminé's request and reading such a boring book. Resisting the urge to simply flip back to the end to read what happened to the hero, I arbitrarily flipped through the pages and was surprised to see a slip of paper float down onto the desk.

On it: “Meet in front of the ice cream shop at 7 PM. - N.N.” I took a glance at my watch: 6:45.

“Ah, crap,” I muttered with annoyance. I hurried out of the house, shouting a random excuse to my family, and rode my skateboard to the shop. It was, after all, much more convenient than the bike, even though somewhat slower.

I arrived in front of the ice cream shop fifteen minutes late and saw Naminé sitting at a table on the patio eating a bowl of ice cream. I was surprised to see such a sight since I couldn't imagine the silent girl who sat in the club room all day reading acting like a normal high school student.

“Hey, sorry I'm late,” I said apologetically.

“It's alright,” she replied with a hint of a smile on her face. “I wasn't waiting long.” She quickly finished the ice cream she had been eating and stood up.

“Let's go,” she said. I could only comply with her command and followed her to a posh apartment building located just a block away.

From the time we left the ice cream shop to the time where we entered her strangely decorated apartment, Naminé said nothing. It kind of made me wonder if I hadn't imagined her eating ice cream just now.

“Coffee?” she asked as she left me standing in the large living room with white walls, white floor, white ceiling, a large white table, white cabinets, white chairs. The only colors in the room came from the floral arrangement in the middle of the table and the crayon doodles that were taped at various places on the walls. It certainly gave the room a rather childish feeling.

“Uh, sure,” I said.

“Take a seat at the table,” I heard her say to me. As requested, I sat at one end of the table and waited for the drink. Taking another look around, I found a drawing tablet along with several crayons and pastels scattered on the table top on the other end of the table. From the look of things, it didn't seem like there were any other inhabitants besides Naminé.

“Where is your family?” I chanced a question as my hostess reentered the room bearing two mugs of coffee, sugar, and cream. She placed the mug of coffee in front of me and sat in a chair just a few arm lengths away near the floral arrangement.

“They're not here,” she replied simply as she dropped two sugar cubes into her coffee.

“Where are they? Are they out?” I asked casually.

“I'm the only one who lives here.”

“You live by yourself?” I gaped at her. She nodded. A moment of silence passed between us as we drank our coffee. I noted that the coffee was probably the best coffee I've ever drank.

“So… why did you call me here? What is it that you couldn't tell me at school?”

“What I'm about to say regarding myself and Sora Kazano is highly classified,” she said at last, “but my superiors have allowed me to share this information to you.”

“Superiors? Classified information?”

“Both myself and Sora Kazano are not ordinary humans.”

“I'd thought as much,” I said after taking another sip of my coffee.

“It's not what you think. He and I are vastly different from ordinary humans like yourself, not simply in personality and behavior, but in abilities and origins. I am a humanoid interface created by the Data Integration Thought Entity who supervises the activities of the Milky Way Galaxy.”

“What?”

“In other words, I am an alien.”

I blinked… and blinked. Did she just admit she is an alien!?

“Ali…en?” I asked for a lack of a better response.

“My duty on this planet is to observe Sora Kazano and his behaviors. For the past three years, his behavior has been fairly consistent with a few minor discrepancies here and there. However, recently, a new factor entered into his life that has caused the situation on this planet to become unstable. This new factor would be you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Originally, Earth held no significant merit for the Data Integration Thought Entity. However, the organisms we now call humans caught our attention and we began our observations. Perhaps these humans possessed the potential to engage in autoevolution. Granted, the emergence of self-awareness among the universe's organic life forms was a common phenomenon, humans were the first instance of evolution to a higher order of intelligence with an increase in capacity for data retention while creating, processing, and storing new data.

Three years ago, we observed a surge of data unlike any other witnessed on this planet. At the center of this data surge was Sora Kazano. Intrigued by this event, the Data Integration Thought Entity created me and sent me down to observe the creator of the data surge, the one who has the capabilities of generating data out of nothingness. For the past three years, we have investigated the existence of Sora Kazano but were unable to determine his identity.”

She took a sip from her mug and continued. I made no attempt to cut into her narration, however crazy it may sound.

“Because we believe that Sora Kazano is the key to autoevolution for humanity and for us data life forms, we have continued our observations and analyzed the situation on Earth accordingly. As data life forms, the Data Integration Thought Entity has no way of communicating with organic life forms such as yourself. Thus, data-humanoid interfaces such as myself were created to transmit the thoughts and ideas of the Data Integration Thought Entity to humans.”

“Do you believe in all that?” I finally asked as she paused again.

“Yes. I believe that Sora Kazano is the key to autoevolution. It is likely that he possesses the ability to control data in his surroundings as he wishes. This is why both of us are part of the SOS Brigade.”

“Okay, I'll admit. I have no idea what you just said. Why me? Why reveal your identity to me?”

“You have been chosen by Sora. Whether he is aware of it or not, his subconscious has affected his surroundings and thus chose you as a focal point in his actions. You are the key to Sora Kazano and thus the key to autoevolution. You and Sora Kazano have the potential to change everything.”

“How do you know this?”

“I just do,” she replied simply. “There are other Data Integration Thought Entities who wish to take a more direct and proactive approach in observing Sora Kazano. Their own interfaces will thus approach you in order to elicit a response from Sora Kazano. In the future, you will have to be careful.”

“What if I tell Sora about all of this?”

“He won't believe you.”

“Oh… right.”

 

When I reached home that day, I kept thinking about what Naminé Nakahara had said to me and wondered how much of it was true. I had hoped that listening to the quiet girl would be wonderful, but who'd known that such crazy babble would come out of her mouth! It was as if Sora had acted out one of his fantasies through Naminé.

I looked at the cover of the book that Naminé had lent me before sighing with misery and choosing to go to sleep. Someone please tell me that Naminé had just read too much science fiction books in her spare time and thus came up with this fantastical story. For now, I see no reason to believe her.

 

The next day, I slowly made my way over to the club room, wondering what mundane activities the rest of the SOS Brigade was going to do while Sora continued on his search for the abnormal.

I opened the door into the clubroom and was met with the most profoundly disturbing image I've ever seen so far in my short short life.

It would appear that in his search for the supernatural, Sora has resorted to cosplaying for attention. Not that he needs any more attention, mind you.

On top of his brown spiky hair sat a large blue wizard's hat and he sported a blue robe with a plastic staff to complete the ensemble. Kairi, who seemed terribly embarrassed, was wearing a nurse's outfit with a skirt that cut just above her knees. Three other bags sat on top of the table, undoubtedly for the rest of us who had yet to arrive. Well, except for Naminé, but I'll be damned if Sora manages to get her wearing whatever it is he got for her.

“What is this?” I asked with narrowed eyes.

“Get changed, we need to go hand out flyers!” he grinned while holding up another paper bag in his hands. He crossed the room and stuffed a blue paper bag into my hands before skipping over to the computer and fiddling with it, a wide grin on his face.

“And where do you suggest I get changed?” I asked before pulling out the outfit that he chose for me. Oh joy, I get to be a Power Ranger. Granted, it's the green Ranger, so I supposed I was fine.

“Right here is fine,” he replied offhandedly. Kairi stared at Sora and I saw her face redden like a tomato.

“Uh, thanks, but I'll go changed in the restroom.” I hurried out of the clubroom and raced down the hallway to the bathroom and wonder how the hell I was getting out of this predicament.

It was probably five minutes later that Riku found me pacing back and forth in the boy's restroom, the bag that held my own costume untouched on a counter above a sink.

“You might as well get changed,” he said with a smirk. “Pacing isn't going to get you anywhere.”

“And what did he get you?” I asked. Riku pulled out a white corsair's shirt and a pair of red and white striped pirate breeches.

“It would appear that Sora thinks that I'm a pirate,” he replied, the smirk still on his face.

“You know that smirk is really getting to my nerves,” I said.

“You know, smiles defuse most tense situations.” He began changing. I sighed and followed suit.

“Oh really? I'd beg to differ. When Sora smiles, the situation gets more tense.”

“That is because Sora isn't your normal high school student. Then again, neither am I.”

I paused in my changing. This conversation seems familiar.

“Let me guess, you have special powers.”

“I'm assuming one of the other two approached you already?” he asked. I nodded silently. “Yes, I am what you would call a psychic. I cannot prove to you that I am a psychic for certain conditions must be met before I can use my powers. Also, you may choose not to believe me and I would not hold it against you.”

“How do you know this?”

“Three years ago, myself and several of my colleagues suddenly found ourselves with the knowledge to use our powers. This sudden realization would be disconcerting if we had not known who gave us those powers.”

“Sora Kazano.”

“That is correct. Sora Kazano gave us these powers and the knowledge to use them on his own whim. I'm sure you've heard this, but he can realize his own wishes whether he is conscious of his own actions or not. However, his ignorance of his own powers also means that he can very well destroy this world that we live in right now.”

“In other words, Sora's a `god' in your mind.” I replied, pulling up the skin tight suit before I froze to death in the cold, unheated restroom.

“That is one way of putting it,” he replied; the grin he wore was back on his face. “Sora has managed to gather three of the low ranking members of their respective specialties into this club. There must be a reason why he's done so.”

“And me?”

“You are a mystery that my Agency, meaning my colleagues and I, have not figured out. As far as we are concerned, you are an ordinary human being.”

“That's fine with me,” I replied. He adjusted the leather belt that held the pirate breeches up before taking a look at himself in the mirror.

“Let's head back,” he said. I followed his lead and we returned to the clubroom.

Only to find that Sora and Kairi had left to hand out the flyers before we came back.

“Well, that makes our lives easier,” said Riku with a smile. I scowled at him, wondering if he was smiling because he was actually happy or whether he was just faking it.

I went over to the open window and watched as Sora waved white sheets of paper about, shoving them into people's faces. When people didn't take them, he threw a fit and began throwing them into the air, which drew the attention of the school administrators.

“Looks like Sora's gonna be called into the principal's office,” I commented.

 

Sure enough, an hour later, Sora returned to the clubroom with a scowl on his face. Kairi had returned to the clubroom more than thirty minutes before close to crying. The scolding from the teachers must've frightened her so much that she couldn't help but cry.

“This sucks,” Sora grumbled as he threw the hat that he had been wearing onto the counter next to the water heater. He sat down on the chair in front of the computer and swiveled around to face the open window, but found the sight of where his failed publicity campaign to be too irritating and swiveled back to the computer.

“What happened?” I asked, taking liberty to drape Sora's white jacket over the downtrodden girl.

“I hadn't even handed out half of the flyers when the teachers came out to say that I'm littering and that Kairi's outfit was against the school codes. Of course, they took me to the principal's office and I had to spend thirty minutes in that stupid office listening to the stupid man babble on and on about how students must follow the school code and stuff. So annoying!”

“It can't be helped,” I said, picking up a crumbled flyer to read it.

“The SOS Brigade Proclamation. Our SOS Brigade is looking for mysteries of the world. People who have experience something strange in the past; people who have run into something strange recently; people who plan on a strange experience in the future: if any of the above applies to you, come see us! We will solve your problems right on the spot! Of course, a normal mystery will not do. Make sure that it's a mystery that will wow us! Make note of that.”

“I'm going home!” he exclaimed before throwing the wizard's hat onto the table. He picked up his bookbag and strolled out of the clubroom without changing out of his costume. But, I wasn't going to mention that to him, seeing how irritated he was already. Besides, the wizard's robe can serve as a coat on this winter day.

“Well, I guess we should do the same,” I suggested, getting ready to head to the restroom again to change.

“I agree,” said Riku. Kairi simply nodded silently. The day thus ended rather solemnly.

 

Rolling along to the next day. Sora never showed up for class that day, which was fine. However, I hadn't expected for Sora's name to be synonymous with notoriety at school. Nor had I expected for my own name and Kairi's name to become associated with his. As thus, the SOS Brigade's publicity soared, though not necessarily in a good way.

“You've done it,” said Axel as he clapped my shoulder during break. “You are now one of Kazano's merry friends.” He laughed at my predicament.

“Shut up,” I muttered with annoyance. I did not need Axel to come over and remind me of the situation I'm stuck in.

“I was really surprised yesterday to see Sora and a girl in a maid's outfit standing in front of the school gate. Wasn't it Kairi Fischer? A sophomore?” asked Demyx. I nodded quietly.

“In any case, the entire school has their attention on you guys now,” added Axel in a light manner.

“What is this SOS Brigade anyways?” asked Zexion, waving a flyer that Sora had handed out the previous day in my face. “It sounds fun.”

“Ask Sora. He knows about it better than I do. I don't want to know what it's about either,” I said with a huff.

“You guys are taking it too far though,” he replied, “especially with what Sora did yesterday.”

I hate being appointed Sora's spokesperson.

 

After class, I retreated to the clubroom and was surprised to see Sora typing away at the computer in his gym clothes. Naminé was, of course, already there reading a book. Kairi and Riku weren't there yet.

“Where were you today?” I asked him as I sat down in an empty seat.

“In here,” he replied without elaborating. “Why don't we get any e-mail?” he suddenly burst out with irritation. “Even with all that publicity, is there no one who needs our services!?”

Face it, Sora. There are no mysteries in this world that would interest you. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I said those words to him. Eh, he'd probably just ignore me or say “Shut up,” “No one asked you!” and such.

“Kairi didn't come to class today?” he asked, suddenly noticing the lack of the jittery girl's presence.

“I don't know,” I replied. “I'm only a freshman like you, remember?”

“Whatever.” He continued typing away at the computer

Half an hour later, Riku entered the clubroom with that same smile on his face. “Sorry I'm late,” he said. Wipe that smile off your face, I dare you right now. My glare seems to do nothing to him though. That just sucks.

Sora sighed. “Why isn't Kairi here,” he complained. “I bought a new costume for her too.”

“Wear it yourself,” I blurted out, not paying attention to the conversation. Sora frowned and glared at me.

“Are you insane!?” he asked. I blinked at him. He's calling me insane!? Ha. As if he wasn't insane himself. Though wait a minute. What were we talking about?

“Blah, I'm going home!” he exclaimed and slammed the door shut. This was a surprise: the second day that he's left early.

“Be careful,” said Riku, the smile that he had been wearing was now gone. “I wouldn't irritate him too much. This world is sitting rather precariously on the edge of a cliff. Sora can destroy it on a whim if he wanted to.”

I frowned, wondering if I should actually believe him. I looked out of the window and prayed to whoever can hear my thoughts to tell me what to do. If I should believe him, then say so and maybe I can say the world isn't as dull as I might think.

As there was nothing to do in the clubroom with Sora returning home early and all, we called it a day early and went our separate ways. I stopped by my locker first and saw a letter sitting neatly on top of the books that were in my locker.

“From Kairi Fischer,” I muttered, pulling out the letter from the envelope. On it said: “Meet me in the marketplace at 5PM.”

I guess it's a good thing that we called it a day early. I know it takes at least 30 minutes to get to the marketplace from the school campus on bike. Since it was 4:12 PM, it gave me plenty of time to head over to the marketplace and wait for Kairi. Maybe she's going to tell me that she wants to quit the club but is too afraid to talk to Sora himself. Or maybe she likes me and wants a date with me. Wait a minute, why is she the one that's asking me out?

When I got to the marketplace, I was surprised to be about 20 minutes early. So, I parked my bike and began wandering around looking at the stalls. I called home and decided to get some fruits and candy for my family when I return home later. As I finished my impromptu errand, I saw Kairi walking towards me with a peaceful smile on her face.

“Thanks for coming,” she said happily.

“Why didn't you come to class today?” I asked. She scratched her head with a nervous laugh.

“I didn't want to face my classmates after what happened yesterday,” she replied. “I hope Sora wasn't too irritated.”

“Sora's Sora. You can't change how he is,” I commented.

“You're right.”

“So, is there a reason why you asked me to meet you here?”

“I have a confession to make,” she replied. I waited for her to continue. When she didn't, I looked at her weirdly.

“Yes?” I inquired.

“Ah, sorry. I'm trying to figure out how to phrase my words best,” she said with a blush.

“Shall we talk about this over dinner then? My treat,” I suggested. She smiled.

“Sure.”

So, my first high school date took place rather suddenly on a weekday at a fast food restaurant called McScrooge.

“This is my first time,” Kairi said happily as she unwrapped her hamburger.

“First time?”

She nodded. “It's my first time to spend time alone with a guy like this,” she giggled softly.

I looked at her with surprise. “What? I'll bet you have lots of people asking you out,” I said. She blushed lightly.

“But I'm not allowed to get involved.” She paused a little bit. “At least not in this timeline,” she added softly.

“This timeline?”

“I am not from this time period,” she said after several moments of silence. “I guess, you can call me a time traveler.”

I blinked at her. I guess it doesn't come as a surprise when Riku has already hinted at the fact that Kairi is a time traveler.

“Time traveler?”

“Yes. Time isn't a continuous event, but rather a series of still frame pictures. Mmm, kind of like a motion picture,” she explained. “Time travelers like myself are simply added pictures to the still frames of the movie.

“Continuous time is a very rare event, if not impossible to obtain. That is why time traveling is possible. Time travelers, like myself, are able to move through time like one moves through space.”

“So there are other time travelers like yourself in this timeline?” I asked.

“Yes. There are several of us who are here. As for why we are here, it is because of what happened three years ago.”

What's with this three years ago!?

“Three years ago, we found that we couldn't move further into the past. A timequake had occurred, thus breaking apart the path into the past. Following the analogy of the motion picture, you can say that someone has cut the film in half and thus the movie started three years ago rather than further past.”

“Let me guess, the person who did it is Sora Kazano.”

“Yes. We found Sora Kazano at the center of the timequake and no matter what we did, we couldn't travel further back in time. You could say that Sora has the ability to manipulate time or that time came into existence three years ago. I've been ordered to observe Sora to see if any other strange time altering events happen around him.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You are the one who Sora chose; therefore, you are an important person to him. Every action that he takes has some consequences regarding you.”

“What about Naminé and Riku?”

“I think you already know why. I never expected Sora to assemble us in such an efficient manner.” That sounds oddly familiar.

“So what is going to happen to Sora now?” I asked, taking a sip from my soda.

“That's classified.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “What would happen if I tell Sora what you just told me?”

“Classified.”

I frowned at the red-tape answer. “You're from the future, so you should know right?”

“I can't tell you. I'm sorry, but I don't have the authority to reveal any future events to people in the past. You're just going to have to trust me.”

“I see.” The rest of the “date” continued on as I mulled over the truthfulness behind Kairi's words.

“I'm sorry to tell you all this, but I just needed to tell you,” she said apologetically. “Thanks for listening.”

“Ah, I don't really mind…” I said lamely. Truth to tell, I don't know whether to believe her or not. I wonder if Sora wasn't the one who organized this prank on me. I mean, come on! First, Naminé's an alien, Riku's a psychic, and now Kairi's a time traveler. Each one of them has a role exactly like Sora had said. Is it a coincidence or is it actually Sora's godlike power that has brought us all together for the SOS Brigade?

After dinner, we said our good-byes in front of McScrooge and went our separate ways. I never expected my first high school date to be like this! Was it something I did in my past life that landed me in such an odd situation? If so, what can I do to get out? I'm going insane!

 

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belong to Square Enix. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya belongs to Tanigawa Nagaru. Yada yada yada.

A/N: I had promised myself that I would post a new chapter when I've finished writing the next chapter, but I seemed to have forgotten that I'm already done with chapter 4. Hope it wasn't that long of a wait. Any questions/comments, feel free to leave it in the review section.