Hello, hello, willing readers!

This is Hejin's newest story, and it represents his short break from his Haruhi series. Since I've been writing the Haruhi stories all the way from last April, this story is a new brainchild of mine that I've been wanting to get out for a while.

I've always had a dream of creating an amazing crossover story. Despite appearances, this is a different kind of crossover. This crossover incorporates The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya [of course], Valkyria Chronicles, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Midori no Hibi, History's Strongest Disicple Kenichi, Fate/Stay Night and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

I know the idea is pretty crazy, but if you liked any of my Haruhi works, I do suggest giving this story a chance. Though a lot of characters make appearances in this story, they certainly do not all appear at once. I want this to go at a relatively believable pace. This takes place in the Valkyria Chronicles universe, but since I'd rather not ruin it for you, I'll just let you read along for yourself. Questions will be revealed in time, and the goal of this is to make a believable crossover that actually makes sense in the end. For now, enjoy the upcoming adventure, drama, humor, and of course, romance.

Thanks again for the read, and hope you enjoy what could hopefully be the next crossover epic!

_

The universe.

Despite all that humans might believe, the concept of the universe is only a small, almost miniscule part of a much more grand design. A single universe makes up nothing more than a speck in the entirety of a much larger multiverse. Even still, the multiverse is only a part of the supposed largest denomination of existence, called the omniverse. All these things together make up what is known as reality.

For the most part, the various universes have forever remained separated from one another, like many layers of cloth folded on each other. Each is unique, with their own versions of the planet Earth, its solar system, and the surrounding planets and stars. Specific details within each universe are also subject to major differences. On one Earth, humans could be nothing more than a dying race, having forced to live underground for hundreds of years in fear of robot-piloting Beastmen on the surface. On yet another Earth, magic exists as a powerful and omnipresent force, granting existence to warrior-like familiars known as Servants, while on some other Earth, a totalitarian superpower known as the Holy Empire of Britannia holds control over the once free nation of Japan, renaming it "Area 11".

And on one Earth, there is someone that can radically affect just about every other universe in existence. On one Earth, a single human girl has the immense untapped power to destroy the entire omniverse, and create it anew in but a few moments.

This is a story about one girl who changes the fates of many, with but a single thought. This is a story about reality tearing apart for a brief moment, and mending itself back together into something new.

But what exactly will come from all this? Who will be affected? And what universe will take the brunt of this dimensional chaos?

In all honesty, only time will tell.

_

Hejin57 Presents...

~~~~CROSS CHRONICLES~~~~

–

TIME: 5:10 PM

LOCATION: JAPAN

_

"....I'm so bored! Just why does everything have to be so boring?!?"

The cry of Haruhi Suzumiya was loud enough to reach the outside of North High, clearly expressing her discontent of her current situation. She gritted her teeth in annoyance, staring at a blank internet browser on the computer screen in front of her. She was unable to figure just why she couldn't keep herself entertained at this very moment.

Nearby, Kyon could do nothing less but sigh. He really couldn't think of response that would satiate Haruhi's lust for excitement, and he certainly didn't feel like putting in the effort to come up with one.

"Don't sound so carefree, Kyon. This is a very serious problem!" Haruhi barked, as Kyon's current attitude had only made her more annoyed than she already was. She glared at her lowly SOS Brigade member, and wondered why he could be so laid-back at a time like this. Kyon just tried his best to ignore her death glare, and tried to drift into the comfort of his thoughts.

I'll just try to keep my composure now. Submitting to her immaturity will bring me absolutely no gain.

"Problem? I'm just trying to keep my sanity..." Kyon mumbled under his breath. Haruhi's voice seemed to rise in volume.

"What was that?"

Kyon looked back at his Brigade Chief, and relaxed in his chair despite the vicious look she was throwing at him.

I need a break from all this...

"Nothing." Kyon said quietly, leaving Haruhi dissatisfied. She crossed her arms, and threw her head back, staring up at the ceiling out of pure boredom. The clubroom was relatively quiet and empty today, save for only Haruhi and Kyon. Itsuki Koizumi had left early for his supposed "job", and shortly after, Mikuru Asahina had left as well with her own business to attend to.

Kyon's suspicions told him that it had something to do with both of their respective organizations more than anything else. Since Haruhi was the equivalent of what some might call a deity, she was prone to causing quite a lot of problems to quite a lot of people on a daily basis. With three separate organizations constantly keeping tabs on her, Haruhi was quite popular, much to Kyon's displeasure.

It was strange. Even Yuki Nagato, the silent, book-obsessed alien had left them. Kyon was confused by this the most. In his mind, it was almost as if all three of them had been in a hurry to leave them alone in the clubroom.

I really hope they don't have strange thoughts on their minds.

Kyon didn't want to think about that possibility; the one that involved a situation where he and Haruhi were alone like this. In fact, it could be a good idea for him to leave, and let the possibility of anything weird happening between them diminish.

"I should probably go." Kyon said, standing up from his chair. Haruhi's body suddenly felt charged with electricity, and she stood up just as quickly. She couldn't let him leave just yet.

"Wait! You can't go!"

Kyon raised an eyebrow. He held in the urge to groan at this very moment.

You have got to be kidding me...

"Why not?" he asked, hoping that Haruhi wouldn't give him some ridiculous or nonsensical answer.

Haruhi's turned her face, and she put on an uneasy expression. As forceful as she sounded, she couldn't actually think of a reason for him to stay with her. It was getting late, and no doubt North High would be closing up soon. Itsuki, Mikuru and Yuki had already left, so what reason did Haruhi have to convince Kyon in staying?

"Well..."

Haruhi was trailing off now. She couldn't think of anything to say. She was feeling stupid right now.

Kyon just sighed again and reached for his bag on the floor. It was obvious to him that Haruhi was out of it today. He figured it was a good idea to use this day as a long-deserved break from her.

"Well, I think I'll be going. We can always discuss your plans for making the world weirder than it already is another day." Kyon commented nonchalantly, and headed for the door to the clubroom. Haruhi's face was twisting in annoyance, and she didn't like the fact that he would dare just leave her like this. She cursed herself for not obtaining a more obedient club member.

"Stop! Your Brigade Chief commands you to halt!" Haruhi shouted at the top of her lungs.

Kyon stopped in his tracks, and he put a hand to his forehead, sighing deeply.

Why did I join this club again? Oh, that's right. I was forced to join!

"Don't you get it, Kyon? Everything became so boring in just a week! Nothing even remotely interesting has happened, and I refuse to be satisfied with that! Do you want something more exciting to happen around here? Don't you want something more fun?"

There is a big difference between your definition of fun and the one found in a dictionary, Haruhi.

"I'm sorry that I can't make the world more exciting." Kyon replied to Haruhi in a low voice that was filled with sarcasm, his back still facing her. If she hadn't been so oblivious, she would have figured out by now that excitement was almost always around her. She was a literal god. She just didn't know it.

Haruhi crossed her arms. That comment had officially ticked her off.

"Then I'm sick of this world! Why can't it be something different? Why can't we live in a world where excitement is just around the corner?" Haruhi exclaimed, and her voice boomed throughout the entire clubroom. In fact, it probably was loud enough to have been heard by anyone walking right outside by North High. Kyon figured that person would be wondering just what the hell she was talking about. It was then that the force of Haruhi's statement hit him.

Wait...

Kyon turned around like a top, his body suddenly feeling tense as the words coming out of Haruhi's mouth fully made sense in his mind. He could feel a chill rapidly running down his spine.

"Why can't we live in a more exciting world, Kyon? Answer me that." Haruhi directly asked him, her eyes serious and not a hint of regret in her voice.

Kyon's bag slid out of his grip, and he knew in an instant that this situation had taken a very wrong turn. He had enough experience with Haruhi Suzumiya by now. He knew fully well that bad things happened when she became this melancholic. If he didn't do something, this situation would spiral out of control.

"Haruhi, think of what you're sa-"

Kyon stopped in mid-sentence. Something interrupted his thought process. It was a sound, and it was building up in his ears.

It continued to grow with each passing second, and it was like a powerful ringing that just wouldn't stop. His head throbbed in discomfort from the annoying noise, and when he looked at Haruhi, she didn't seem to take any notice to it. She just continued to glare at him, as if he had wronged her with some unforgivable crime.

Kyon tried to speak, to call out to Haruhi, but his voice felt constricted. It was almost as if an anaconda was wrapped around his neck, and it was crushing his voice box.

Finally, the ringing sound stopped, and everything became silent. Haruhi was still looked like she didn't even know what was going on. Kyon could feel sweat on his brow, and a momentary relief washed over him. He let his body relax.

Damn. I was genuinely afraid for a second...

As if he had to be contradicted immediately, a powerful burst of azure light flashed in front of Kyon, and he could hear a loud roaring noise as a vortex of cerulean energy encompassed him. Kyon could feel himself being sucked towards this vortex, as if it was a miniature black hole that had popped up right in the middle of the SOS Brigade clubroom. He called to Haruhi again, more panicked than ever, but it was already too late, as the vortex fully claimed his body, causing the world to disappear from underneath his feet.

Another second passed, and the blue light flashed out in a bang as quickly as it came.

The clubroom was empty now. Kyon's bag was still on the floor, now discarded.

He, along with Haruhi Suzumiya, had both been whisked away as quickly as feathers in the wind.

_

TIME: 1:15 PM

LOCATION: GALLIA, EUROPA

_

Welkin Gunther smiled wide. He had been lucky today. These light trout were abundant enough in this river that he could sketch them for as long as he wanted. Reaching into one of his jacket pockets, he pulled out his sketchbook, and he began the patient process of sketching one of these tiny fish onto one of its pages.

He enjoyed days like this, where he could sit down and enjoy nature's beauty. Right now, he didn't have to fear anything, and the sound of the trickling river was like music to Welkin. The Gallian countryside felt almost untouched, with the sun above shining down on both the fresh grass and tall trees alike.

As Welkin continued to sketch, he began to hear a sound building up in his ears. It was a low ringing, which increased in volume as the seconds passed. Soon, it began to become overbearing, and Welkin found himself losing focus on his sketching as it continued. He put one hand to his head, which was throbbing because of this terrible noise. Below him, the light trout he had been sketching were scattering all around, blindly bumping into each other as if they were utterly confused of where exactly they were swimming.

Welkin silently pleaded for the noise to stop, dropping his sketchbook on the ground below as he did so. Finally, the sound came to a stop, and the world became eerily silent.

Welkin opened his eyes, and took his hands away from his ears. He looked from side to side, wondering where that terrible noise had originated from. He suddenly felt very confused.

A burst of azure light, accompanied by a loud splash, alerted Welkin almost immediately, causing him to turn towards the source of the disturbance. His eyes widened.

Two people were now both partially sitting in the river, as if they had fallen into it. One of them was a girl, who looked no more than at least sixteen years of age. She was dressed in manner that made it seem like she might have been part of the Gallian Navy. She had an orange hairband in her chestnut brown hair, and from the look on her face, she didn't look very happy.

Next to her was a taller boy, who was wearing what looked like a nice, but slightly disheveled blue blazer, complete with brown pants. His red tie was sopping wet, and unlike the girl's annoyed expression, he looked confused out of this mind.

"Where did this stupid river come from?" Haruhi exclaimed in an angry voice, as she literally pulled something slimy from hair, which was none other than one of the light trout that Welkin had been sketching before.

Kyon, on the other hand, was more worried about just where he was rather than how soaked he was. He looked side to side, wondering how they had suddenly gone from the clubroom to a beautiful countryside.

What is this? What the hell did you do, Haruhi?

"Stupid fish!" Haruhi said loudly, shaking her head back and forth to make sure that she got all of them out of her hair. She felt terrible right now, and the fact that she was the only one who seemed to be suffering was only making everything worse.

"Excuse me...but you probably shouldn't be so rough with those light trout. They're very delicate fish."

Welkin's voice, though calm, easily caught both Haruhi and Kyon's attention. He had become very curious, especially since these two strangers seemed very unfamiliar with their current surroundings.

"Just who are you?" Haruhi asked, standing up so she wouldn't be sitting in the river any longer. She still didn't look very happy, and Kyon remained mostly silent next to her as he stood up as well.

"Ah, my name is Welkin Gunther. Are you two from outside of Gallia? You sound like you don't know this place very well." Welkin asked innocently, not knowing the nature of these two newcomers. Kyon was the first to figure out what he asked them, and it only caused him to worry.

What did he just say? Gallia? What the hell is Gallia?

"I'm sorry...but can you say that again? I'm not familiar with any Gallia." Kyon said without enthusiasm in his voice. Either he was just imagining things, or this situation was getting worse as time continued to pass.

"Hey! I should be the one asking questions here, Kyon. You forget that there is something called a chain of command!" Haruhi exclaimed without thinking. Since her mood was already bad enough, she didn't like it one bit that Kyon was the one trying to take charge. That was her job.

Kyon just hit himself in the forehead.

Why her? Why not Asahina-san? This universe is too cruel.

"You're not familiar with Gallia? Just where are you two from?" Welkin asked, suddenly even more curious than he was before. Were these two from beyond Europa? He didn't know much when it came to topic, but there was always talk about what went on beyond their own continent. He could feel a tinge of excitement in his heart.

"What do you mean where are we from? What is this place...Germany or something?" Haruhi asked, now feeling confused herself. Now that she was simmering down, her attention was changing and focusing more on where exactly she and Kyon had gone. One minute, they'd been in the clubroom, and Kyon was trying to say something to Haruhi in a very quiet voice. The next minute, they had found themselves sitting in the middle of a shallow river, with fish sliding around in her hair.

"Germany? This is Gallia." Welkin replied, scratching the back of his head. These two were certainly a confusing him quite a bit. However, something else caught his attention almost immediately, and it was the sound of someone cocking a rifle towards them. Welkin turned, and at the same time, so did Haruhi and Kyon.

"Don't try anything. I'm not afraid to fire!"

Standing only a few feet away was a young girl, wearing a Gallian Militia uniform and holding a rifle in her hands, which was pointed directly at Welkin. She wore a red scarf separating her light brown hair into pigtails. She had a serious expression on her face, and her grip on the rifle didn't falter one bit.

What...what did we do? What the hell?

Kyon felt confused and scared at the time, and unable to tell which feeling was more prominent in his mind. Welkin was equally as confused as him, but not as afraid. Haruhi didn't know what to think, and wondered if someone was trying to play some sort of trick on her. She slightly suspected Kyon.

"That's right. Alicia-san will shoot you if she has to!" a young boy wearing a large helmet and sporting a Gallian uniform said from behind the girl. His companion was standing right beside him, and like the girl they had just referred to as Alicia, they too were armed with rifles.

"W-Wait a second! We didn't even do anything!" Kyon said suddenly, his voice a bit panicked. He still didn't get the situation, but the idea of little kids brandishing guns like this was really beginning to scare him quite a bit. He gulped, and wondered how long it would be till he was riddled with bullet holes.

"Be quiet, spies! I know what your agenda here is, and as long as I can have my eye on you three, I'm not letting you get away with anything!" Alicia said with a serious tone, moving closer towards Welkin, Haruhi and Kyon, while her two subordinates followed right behind her. Suspicion was definitely clear in Alicia's eyes.

"Just who do you think you're talking to? I'm the leader of the SOS Brigade, so point your guns somewhere else!" Haruhi exclaimed with equal vigor. There was something about this girl she really, really didn't like.

Is she insane?!?

Kyon grabbed Haruhi by the arm before she could move any further. He pulled her slightly close, and whispered in her ear.

"You want to get killed? Those aren't fake guns!"

Haruhi gritted her teeth, and pushed Kyon off of her. She glared back at Alicia, who was slightly confused by the behavior of these "spies". She figured she would interrogate them after she knew they wouldn't be able to try anything funny.

"Tie them up, you two! Make sure you're careful about it, too. These spies could very well be armed." Alicia commanded to her two subordinates. The two boys nodded, and they both approached Haruhi, Kyon and Welkin, taking no time in making them put their hands behind their backs as they proceeded to arrest them. Kyon didn't resist at all, Welkin did the same, and Haruhi considered struggling before she realized that perhaps Kyon's words made some sense. In a matter of minutes, all three were tied up, and Alicia felt satisfied.

"There are consequences for doing this to the SOS Brigade! Don't think you'll get off easy!" Haruhi growled in a threatening manner, while Kyon remained silent, more fearful of his life than anything else. Welkin seemed oddly calm about the situation, and Kyon envied him for that greatly.

Great. We've been captured by strange people, and we still didn't even know where the hell we were.

"I don't know what this "SOS Brigade" is, but if there are more spies like you in it, than we'll make sure to arrest all of them as well. We're not going to tolerate Imperials coming into Bruhl uninvited!"

Alicia didn't show it, but she was beginning to feel a little confused. These people were strange. And the man with them was oddly quiet as well.

"Now follow me. You're going to headquarters for questioning." Alicia said, motioning for Welkin, Haruhi and Kyon to follow.

"Um...can you get my sketchbook for me? I seemed to have dropped it." Welkin said quietly, causing Alicia to turn quickly and put on an annoyed face. He felt slightly uneasy, but nevertheless, he tried to remain as calm as possible in this situation.

"I got it, Alicia-san!" one of her two subordinates said, picking up the tiny book and handing it to her. Alicia flipped through it quickly, and she raised an eyebrow when all it was full of was sketches of bugs, fish and plants. She gave Welkin a weird look, wondering just what he was doing sketching by the river if he was really some sort of spy.

"What kind of trick is this?" Alicia said as she closed the sketchbook. She was beginning to wonder just what exactly was up with these three.

Welkin sighed, before looking straight at Alicia with the most serious look he could muster.

"I don't care if you think I'm a spy, but these two don't even know what Gallia is. I doubt they're spies, and whether or not you want to believe me, I'm not one either." Welkin said in a sincere voice. When he was finished speaking, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye that almost made his face drain color. Alicia looked back at him strangely. It was as if he was staring at her, and her face was turning red from embarrassment.

"W-What are you looking at?" she said in an annoyed tone, before Welkin suddenly rushed forward, and he pushed Alicia down to the ground with the momentum of his body. Around the same time, a gunshot rang out, and a bullet flew through the air right where Alicia's head had just been, hitting the ground only a few feet from Kyon.

"We're under attack!"

Kyon was more than ready to raise the white flag, and hope that they would spare their lives, but his thoughts of surrendering were interrupted by Haruhi, who pushed her body into him and forced him closer to the ground. Meanwhile, Alicia had pushed Welkin off of her, and was firing into the nearby hills, unsure if that was even where the gunshot had come from.

"Jean! Miguro! Go back to Bruhl and tell them the Imperials are here! We can't afford them surprising the rest of the Militia!" Alicia shouted, taking another shot into a clump of trees ahead. To her surprise, it had hit its mark, causing an Imperial soldier to topple forward onto the grassy ground.

"Yes, Alicia-san!" the two young boys said in unison, as they quickly turned tail and ran back down the dirt road which lead to the small town of Bruhl.

"The SOS Brigade is under siege! You're to defend our name with your life, Kyon!" Haruhi said valiantly, despite the fact that both her and Kyon were till tied up. Alicia continued to fire off shots, and bullets whizzed over their heads as the Imperials retaliated from the safety of cover.

"Are you crazy?" Kyon replied, fearing that every second might be his last.

This is some sort of punishment for something I did in a past life. That's definitely it.

"This way!" Welkin exclaimed, and when Kyon looked to his side, he could see that the guy had found his way towards an opening in the nearby forest. Wondering how he could have gotten there so fast, Kyon ignored Haruhi's commands, and ran towards who he thought was the most sensible person in this situation.

"Hey! Where are you going, you idiot? Cowards aren't accepted in my Brigade!" Haruhi shouted back at Kyon, following him as he ran after Welkin. Alicia was busy taking more shots, when she realized that her prisoners were actually escaping.

"Wha...get back here, you spies!"

With that, Alicia went into a sprint after her prisoners, and it wasn't long till the three were under the cover of the trees. Alicia had a seriously annoyed look on her face, and felt stupid for being so distracted and letting these three escape like this. At the same time, she hoped that Jean and Miguro would get back in time and warn everyone else of the coming Imperials. If they were lucky, most of the civilians would be able to make it out before the Imperials reached Bruhl.

Welkin's thoughts were more on reaching the house only some distance from here more than anything else. His sister had been waiting for him this entire time, and whether or not this Alicia girl believed he was a spy or not, he knew he would reach his sister Isara and make sure she knew he was alright.

Kyon was right behind him, and at this point, Haruhi had caught up to him, having not even broken a sweat. Alicia was dumbfounded at Haruhi's speed, but she increased her own in hopes of catching up with them. Twigs snapped underfoot as the four continued to run through the trees, and Welkin's hopes rose as he saw a large, abandoned-looking house coming into view in the distance.

"Where is this guy going?" Haruhi asked, despite the fact that Kyon was getting tired and didn't really want to talk while running. Nevertheless, he answered her between breaths.

"I don't have any idea, but I'd rather not stay put and get filled with bullets!"

As if answering a call, shots whizzed in front of Kyon and Haruhi, causing Kyon to almost trip over. Alicia was still gaining, but her expression became more annoyed as she watched the guy all the way in front retreat into a large house ahead, managing to open a door leading inside despite his hands being tied up. Shortly after, both the girl and the boy went inside after him, forcing Alicia to do nothing else but follow them. She cursed herself for being so stupid, and held onto her gun tightly as she ran through the open door into the large abandoned house.

Quickly, she shut the door inside behind her, and walked towards the first door she could see down a nearby hall. It was slightly ajar, and she could hear voices emanating from inside. Alicia narrowed her eyes, and made sure to be cautious in her approach.

"This is truly madness..."

"Quiet, Kyon! This is obviously some sort of conflict where the SOS Brigade is being targeted! We need to fight back!"

"Are you insane? This isn't some sort of game!"

Alicia crept closer, leaning against the wall, so as not to be seen. She peered inside, and spotted the three from before, their hands now untied, along with a young girl with dark blue hair. She was wearing a embroidered cape which signified she was a Darcsen. Alicia's suspicion rose greatly, and she kept a tight grip on her rifle as she kicked open the door.

"All of you, hands up! This is your first warning!" Alicia commanded, brandishing her rifle and making sure that her point was coming across. Welkin and Isara looked at Alicia with confused eyes, while Kyon was the first to raise his hands up in a surrendering fashion. He hated his own cowardice, but at the same time, he feared for his own well-being. Haruhi didn't respond to this threat.

"We're not afraid of you!"

Isara was looking up at Welkin, who couldn't think of what to do. This girl still was suspicious of them, and with a weapon in her hands, she could very well shoot them. Nodding to his sister, both Welkin and Isara raised their hands up. Haruhi was already looking from side to side, disgusted that she was the only one who refused to give up.

"Why is it that I'm the only one who isn't sca-"

Before Haruhi could finish her sentence, a powerful explosion rocked the entire room, causing Alicia to lose her balance and drop her rifle. It clattered on the ground towards Haruhi, who took no time in picking it up and pointing it directly towards Alicia, who was now kneeling on the ground with the gun barrel in front of her face. She could feel fear taking over.

"Ha! Now who's the one in charge? The Brigade Chief, that's who!" Haruhi said victoriously. Kyon quickly put a hand on her shoulder, and spoke in a serious voice, despite his fear of the situation.

"Just put the gun down, Haruhi. There's some sort of misunderstanding here." he said, causing Haruhi to give him a glare that almost signified that he should back off. Nevertheless, Haruhi absorbed the meaning of his words, and sighing in discontent, she slowly placed the rifle on the floor, causing Welkin and Isara to both become relieved. Kyon sighed as well, until he watched Alicia's eyes widen in an instant, and she grabbed the gun with lightning speed, pointing it directly towards them.

For a second, Kyon thought that the bullet fired was going straight towards Haruhi, but instead, he heard the sound of glass breaking behind him, and when he looked back, a solder clad in armor was falling backwards, having been shot by Alicia's bullet through the window behind them.

Haruhi was a bit shocked, and unable to figure out what to think about the situation. Meanwhile, Welkin walked forward, his sister beside him.

"There's an arms garage attached to this manor. It's safer in there than it is here."

Alicia didn't trust this guy completely yet, and something about this house was bugging her.

"Wait a minute! This is the house belongs to General Gunther, the famous Gallian war hero! Why is she even here? She's a Darcsen!"

Another explosion rocked the side of the manor, causing everyone to almost fall again. Welkin spoke quickly, knowing the situation was only getting worse.

"There's no time for explaining now! Just follow me!" he exclaimed, grabbing his sister's hand and running right past Alicia, who felt dumbfounded that this guy had just utterly swept her aside. Kyon looked at Haruhi, and though his Brigade Chief was still annoyed, she understood what the look on his face meant. As if almost mocking Alicia, the two of them followed Welkin and Isara, leaving Alicia by herself.

"Wha..." Alicia began to say, feeling useless even though she was the one armed. Another explosion could be heard, and finally convinced, Alicia turned tail and ran out of the room, following Kyon and Haruhi towards the garage.

When she finally got inside of the garage attached to the manor, Alicia closed the door behind her, and raising her rifle again, spoke with the most authoritative voice she could. Haruhi, Kyon, Welkin and Isara had already made themselves comfortable, but they all turned heads when they heard Alicia begin to speak.

"Alright! No more running away! I want some answers!"

Welkin looked at Isara, and Kyon at Haruhi. The first to speak was Welkin, who was leaning against something very large that took up most of the garage space. The thing in question was covered in a huge drapery cloth.

"Well...this is actually my father's house. That girl is my sister, Isara."

Alicia kept her rifle raised, moving closer. He suspicion seemed to almost increase as she heard more.

"What's your name?"

"Welkin Gunther. The General Gunther you're referring to is my father."

Alicia glanced back at Isara, who just gave her a neutral look. She still didn't trust Welkin yet. Something about his bugged her as much as this girl and her supposed "SOS Brigade".

"How can she be your sister? She's a Darcsen!"

Welkin rubbed the back of his head, unsure how to say his next statement. Meanwhile, Kyon was back to wondering where exactly they were, and why. He had a feeling this entire situation had something to do with what Haruhi had exclaimed before. He cursed under his breath.

"She's...an adoptive sister. We're not related by blood, but that doesn't mean we're not family." Welkin replied. He hoped that this girl would give up on her suspicions already. It was just causing unnecessary conflict.

"Well...who are these two? They could very well be spies!" Alicia exclaimed, pointing her gun at Haruhi and Kyon. Kyon backed away slightly, but Haruhi stood her ground.

"We are members of the SOS Brigade! I'm Haruhi Suzumiya, the Brigade Chief, and behind me is my subordinate, Kyon!"

Kyon looked at Haruhi like she had five heads.

I should have expected this much from her...

"To be honest, neither of us know where the hell we are. I was hoping someone could explain that." Kyon said in a low voice. He knew fully well that it was in Haruhi's nature to be so forward. He hoped that his more laid-back approach would help them survive this situation, considering they were probably in a war-zone now.

"You're in the town of Bruhl, in the country of Gallia. If you two were good spies, you would know that!" Alicia retorted. The fact that these two seemed utterly confused was beginning to tell her that they probably weren't affiliated with the Imperial Alliance at all.

"We're not spies!" Kyon protested.

Alicia glanced at him, and admitted that their was truth in his face. She glanced at Haruhi, and it almost seemed like lightning flashed when their eyes met. Though she didn't believe this girl was a spy of any sort, she disliked her already. She wasn't used to someone so brash like this Haruhi girl.

"Well, it doesn't matter what you are, because if we don't do something about these Imperials, then this entire town is going to be overrun. You're going to have to fight if you want to make it out of this alive." Alicia said with a strong tone of voice, before turning towards Isara and Welkin. Kyon looked shocked, while Haruhi seemed to perk up in excitement all of a sudden.

Don't tell me...she got her wish...and now I have to suffer through this?

"You said this is an arms garage? How many weapons do you have in here?"

"Enough." Welkin replied, opening up a large metal locker nearby, and revealing rifles piled on top of one another. Alicia's eyes lit up at the sight, while Kyon seemed to just feel worse. On the other hand, Haruhi grabbed one of the rifles before anyone could say anything, and she examined the gun like a little kid who had just gotten a new toy.

"With this...I will defend the honor of the SOS Brigade!" Haruhi announced as she held her rifle up high. Kyon was ready to hit himself in the forehead, when gunshots rang out, and the high window nearby shattered from the gunfire.

"Get down!"

It took only a few moments for the gunfire to stop, and Welkin already had a rifle slung over his back, making Kyon feel a little useless. Nevertheless, he grabbed one from the metal locker as well, and despite not knowing how to actually use it effectively, he knew it would be better than not having one at all.

"They've got us surrounded." Alicia said quietly. Judging from the source of the gunshots, she assumed the the hills were already littered with Imperials, and stepping outside of this manor now would be a death wish.

"...I don't like the sound of this." Kyon commented, already feeling like defeat was near. They were in a strange place, with strange people, and Kyon could already feel dread creeping down his spine like a serpent.

"There must be some way to break through this blockade!" Haruhi exclaimed just a little too loudly, and she was responded by the quiet voice of Isara, who was on the other side of the covered object that took up most of the garage.

"We have this." she said, before pulling off the drapery and revealing the thing underneath. It was a monstrous, light blue and white tank, with a long cannon on the top and treads that looked like they could easily crush anything in their way. Kyon and Haruhi were in awe, while Welkin was smiling next to a dumbstruck Alicia. The tank looked good as new, with not a single scratch anywhere on its frame.

"This was the tank that my father and stepfather built. It's called the Edelweiss." Isara said, before she began to clamber onto it's huge frame. Welkin followed her, looking back at Haruhi, Kyon and Alicia.

"You wanted a way past the Imperials? Here's our way. I suggest we get out of here before another bombardment comes." Welkin said as he stood on the support platform of the monstrous tank. Alicia looked up at him, and slowly, a smile formed on her face.

"It's Alicia Melchiott, by the way. I almost forgot about my own name." she replied with a nervous giggle. Welkin didn't know what to say, so he simply smiled back. Kyon was getting a strange vibe between these two already, despite just meeting them.

Not that any of it is important right now...

"Come on, Kyon! This is where it gets exciting!" Haruhi said in a happy voice, her hand already around Kyon's as she pulled him towards the Edelweiss. Alicia and Welkin were already getting in the top hatch, and Haruhi was more than eager to see just what it was like inside this tank. Kyon sighed, knowing fully well that whatever trouble Haruhi had caused was probably only starting. Nevertheless, he let her pull him along, and as the two climbed up the side of the Edelweiss towards the top of it, Kyon could only think of one thing.

Guess I should have just stayed in the clubroom after all...