And now, a long overdue chapter update from the author: THIS CHAPTER TOOK WAY TOO LONG FOR ME TO FINISH, I AM SO SORRY. I nearly left the damn thing for a whole year again. Not for lack of trying mind you-I ran into some issues figuring out how the flow should go. There was originally going to be two scenes where Kyon revisits the MG and WWII worlds respectively, but I couldn't figure out how to incorporate them so they were ultimately cut. Might see if I can't bring them into the next chapter or later though. As with most of my recent chapters, I've been writing this in short bursts typically a couple of days apart, so apologies for any shifts in writing quality. Bloody hell, I sure do apologise a lot. On the plus side, we're finally done with the Mecha World arc, meaning I can move onto an arc I've been really looking forward to! As always, feel free to drop a review if you've got suggestions for improvement or to just to let me know what I'm doing right and should keep up. Thank you for putting up with my looooooong hiatus and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up (somewhat) soon :)

Disclaimer: Gojira Destructicus can't keep up a writing schedule for shit.

Chapter 32: Robot Blues

After a rather emotional display, Mikuru managed to negotiate with Haruhi to remain with the SOS Brigade of this world and serve in place of the previous Asahina. She claimed there was nothing left for her in her home dimension and that, after all the damage she had unwittingly caused, this was the least she could do to make amends. While Haruhi did insist on running a psych evaluation on her (you can never be too careful after all), both she and the Brigade were pretty supportive of the idea and felt that it's what their Mikuru would've wanted. Considering that Mikuru B didn't seem all that different from the Asahina I knew, I'm sure she would've been happy to accept Mikuru C into their ranks. Ah, Mikuru…I may be into Haruhi now, but you're still the sweetest, most caring person I've ever met.

I suddenly felt a sharp pang in my heart as I thought about that. That's only natural-Mikuru and Yuki died not too long ago. Despite understanding they weren't the ones I knew, it was still difficult to differentiate them. However, anything I felt must've been incomparable to what the Brigade was experiencing. It must take every last shred of their composure to maintain the focused air they've had since Mikuru's interrogation ended.

While Mikuru and the Brigade finalised some matters, Ryoko, Yuki and I sat in a waiting room. I wondered how they were handling the aftermath of our mission. Looking at Ryoko, her face betrayed her exhaustion and her downcast gaze suggested she was still grappling with what transpired. Meanwhile, Nagato displayed traces of sorrow in her eyes and posture. Guess it's weighing on them too, huh? Maybe talking it out might help.

"How're you two holding up?" I ask, with a little uncertainty.

Ryoko sighed. "I've had to deal with the possibility that everyone from my home dimension is already dead, so I guess I'm dealing with it a bit better than I would otherwise. Still…never had to deal with my friends dying right in front of me. That might be strange to say, since they're not the actual ones we know but-"

"I know. I've thought the exact same thing," I explain. Turning to Nagato, her demeanour remained unchanged. "And you, Yuki?"

She slowly raised her eyes to meet mine. "Ever since the conclusion of our battle, I have been running numerous simulations of the event continuously to identify potential errors. Current results reveal that errors on my part may have contributed to the demise of this world's Yuki Nagato and Mikuru Asahina." Nagato's eyes shift downward briefly, traces of responsibility and guilt swimming through them. Her usually monotonous tone contains a solemn tinge. "Were it not for my flawed estimates on the time to core implosion and better analysis of other personnel's physical status, their deaths may have been averted. Additionally, the expenditure of processing power prior to core collapse left me unable to do anything regarding data manipulation. Had I not exhausted myself, it may have been possible to save them…"

"Enough," I utter sternly. "Don't go heaping the blame on yourself. For one, your Stalker was out of commission-you actually had to be physically hauled out of the danger zone. It's not like you could've jumped in to help them in that condition. And if you hadn't warned us of the impending collapse its likely more of us wouldn't have made it out in time and perished as well. If anything, you saved a lot of us Yuki. None of it was your fault."

Nagato looked at me with faint surprise before quietly nodding. "I understand…arigatou."

Not long after, the door opened and the SOS Brigade entered, joined by Mikuru C. It seemed like they'd finished on deciding how to handle this new Asahina among their ranks. Everyone looked very tired…given recent events, that's completely understandable. I think all of us could use a good rest after this. The three of us stood up as Haruhi stepped forward.

"I think we've got just about everything sorted out," she explained. "Mikuru will remain stationed with us while we continue to monitor her, though thus far it seems like she won't cause any more trouble. We'll also allow her to serve with us on combat operations as a replacement for our Mikuru." Haruhi frowned a bit after that sentence. Still no doubt coping with the loss of her world's original Mikuru. She shook her head and continued. "Recon of the battle site as well as the complex housing it has revealed no additional traces of that monstrosity or anything similar to it. Coupled with the fact that no additional anomalies seem to have emerged, I'd say we're all done here."

All done, eh? That's a relief. It's been an exhausting…day? Shit, how long have I been in this dimension? Hopefully not too long…someone will be bound to notice my absence if I spend too much time in another dimension.

"So…how are you guys holding up?" asks Ryoko A.

The normally cheerful Tsuruya lets out a sigh. "We're dealing with it in our own way. About the only thing we can do is carry on. There'll be time to grieve later, for now…" Tsuruya looked down, uncharacteristically gloomy.

"We'll deal with it in our own time," Koizumi chimed in, his typical smirk absent. "For now, it looks like this particular incident is over. We can take care of everything from here." I think that was Koizumi trying to say we could go home.

"Well, thank you all for your help," I say, bowing before them. "I may not have found what I was looking for, but we did find out more on what we're dealing with and prevented something catastrophic from happening at the same time. I'm just sorry that-"

"Enough already," commanded Haruhi. She must have known what I was going to say-another guilt-ridden apology for the loss of Yuki and Mikuru. Her tone basically said 'Just drop it. I don't want to talk about it anymore.' Wisely, I chose to hold my tongue as she continued. "Regardless of what happened, I am grateful for your help and, honestly, we should be thanking you. My main concern now is what we'll do if another incident such as this arises. Is there a reliable way we can reach you should we need your assistance?"

"Please wait," spoke Yuki A. Gently walking away, she found a pen and paper before beginning to write something on it. Her movements were methodical, almost mechanical in nature, as she wrote. When she was finished, Yuki handed me the piece of paper. I was greeted by incomprehensible symbols and some kind of code. Before I could open my mouth to ask, she explained. "Present this to the Nagato of your world. I will be able to communicate messages to her and she will relay them to you. You may also relay messages to me through her."

I gave Yuki a grateful smile. Her own expression shifted a millimetre into what I felt was a highly faint smile back at me. However, Ryoko A looked confused.

"Wait a minute…how's that going to work?" she asked. "Aren't you coming with us, Yuki? How will you receive messages from this world if you're with us, let alone allow the Nagato of Kyon's world to send them here?" I hadn't thought of that. Come to think of it, we never really decided where Yuki A would go from here. What are you planning, Nagato?

Yuki's 'expression' shifted into a slightly troubled one. "…I am sorry. I shall not be joining you."

Ryoko's eyes widened in shock. She stood there trying to speak for a good 30 seconds before finding her voice. "Why?! What's going on, Yuki? I thought you were coming back with us? Don't you want to find the others from our world?"

Yuki sighed…yet another thing I'd never seen her do before. How much more 'human' was this Nagato than the one I know? Was it Ryoko? Did she help her become this expressive?

"Ryoko," Yuki explained. "After extensive analysis and calculation, I have come to the conclusion that it may already be too late for our world. The probability of locating our Haruhi Suzumiya in time has become increasingly smaller. Instead, it may be wiser to remain sheltered in the dimensions willing to receive us." Nagato turned towards Haruhi. "Would it be allowable for me to remain here?"

Haruhi shrugged. "I guess. It would definitely be handy to have a…what are you again? 'Humanoid Data Interface'?" Yuki nodded in response. "Right, if you think you can take over our Yuki's role and help us out with our operations, you're welcome to stay here. But are you sure?"

"I am unconcerned with the risks involved in your operations. I would not agree to your terms if I were unprepared to take part in battle."

"Not that," corrected Haruhi. "You've only just been reunited with Ryoko. Are you prepared to leave her again?" She gestured to Ryoko. The poor girl was on the verge of tears. It was then that I saw another expression from Nagato I'd never encountered before.

Remorse.

Nagato turned to Ryoko and embraced her. "I am sorry, my friend. Under different circumstances, I would be all too happy to follow you and live in refuge elsewhere. However…" She hesitated. "Though I fear our world is beyond salvation, I cannot ignore the possibility of our friends surviving. You have already provided me with hope that the others may be found." Yuki pulled away, looking at Ryoko with determination. "That is why I cannot come with you. The frequency of interdimensional incidents in this world always holds the chance that a lead to one of our friends will appear. With that in mind, I would like to remain here as a sentry and alert you as to when any indicators arise. I have already provided you with the means to communicate with me-I may reach you the same way."

Ryoko still looked upset, but it appeared she understood. "Ok, Yuki…if that's what you feel is best…I'll…I'll respect your decision." She walked over to me and spoke, without even looking up. "I think we should go."

I gave her a nod. It was probably best I get her home-I think we both desperately needed a rest after today. I faced the SOS Brigade one more time. "You all take care of yourselves."

"Likewise," replied my counterpart. "Good luck."

Opening a portal into interdimensional space, Ryoko and I stepped through and left their world behind.

Upon return to our world, I dropped us off back at Nagato's apartment where she was still waiting for us. We briefed her on all that happened-Yuki A's presence, the Mikuru from another world, the Destroyer, and the deaths of the 'local' Nagato and Asahina. When I told her the last part, Yuki actually paused. "Verification requested: the Yuki Nagato and Mikuru Asahina of that world perished?"

That must have come as quite a shock to Nagato. "Yeah…they didn't make it," I confirm. "For the record, it was the 'local' Nagato and Asahina, not the ones from 'foreign' universes."

"I see," she responded. "That is…unfortunate." Yuki hesitated…even though her expression hardly changed, it seemed eerily similar to the Nagato that remained behind. After shifting her gaze down for a second, Yuki reacquired me in her line of sight. "What of the other Yuki Nagato and Mikuru Asahina?"

"Mikuru had nowhere left to go, so she surrendered and was offered a place with them," explained Ryoko. "As for Yuki…" Ryoko sighed. "She stayed behind." Looking to me, she gave a nod. Don't have to tell me what you're thinking-I pulled out the paper Nagato A left and handed it to the Yuki before me.

Taking the paper, she stared right at it. "Synchronising." A few seconds of silence passed. In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, Yuki actually winced. Is…she ok? I turned to Ryoko, but she just shrugged. Yuki shifted her gaze towards us, no doubt noticing our expressions of concern. "Everything is fine," she flatly stated. "I experienced an unexpected…shock of emotional data from the other Yuki Nagato."

"Meaning you experienced everything she felt?" Ryoko asked.

Yuki gave her usual affirmative nod. "I am now synchronised with the Yuki Nagato of your world. Her experiences have provided valuable data regarding a variety of emotions, including remorse, grief and depression." She sighed. Only moments ago I'd heard the other Nagato do the same thing, though that still didn't take away from how surreal it was coming from the Yuki I know. "The feeling is…most unpleasant."

"It feels that way because something is wrong," I explained. "And unfortunately, you can't always fix it…"

Yuki looked a little sad for a moment. Then, mustering her composure in a split second, she shifted back to her usual neutral expression. "It is important we focus on the matter at hand: location and acquisition of the fragment infused with Haruhi Suzumiya's power. Current data is insufficient to narrow its whereabouts. My counterpart will analyse what data lies in her current dimension for any possible indicators of the artefact's position. I will continue to scan for other external signals of possible significance. While we attempt to track it down, you should resume your efforts in observing Haruhi Suzumiya for signs of the next likely dimension it may be found."

"Got it," I acknowledge. Taking a glance at the time, it was getting a bit late. Whatever amount of time passed in their world, it had been about two to three hours here. I might have to ask Yuki later about the time discrepancy-or maybe even Mikuru given how much she knows about time. Regardless, it'd probably be in my best interests to get home soon. Given all that I've been through, I'm understandably tired and knowing mum (and Imouto for that matter) they'd probably want to know what exactly I was doing so late. "I'd better start heading back."

Yuki nodded in silent acknowledgement. As I rose to leave, Ryoko stood up to see me out. Wordlessly, we walked towards the door. I could see the fatigue evident on her face. Mine probably looks very similar. Hopefully I won't collapse from exhaustion on the way home…

"Are you going to be alright, Kyon?" asked Ryoko, as if voicing my own concerns.

"Well, given the amount of shit I've been through over the past couple of days, not to mention the usual drain Haruhi's antics inflict on me…I think I'll manage," I respond. Maybe one of the reasons I was 'chosen' by Haruhi was because I was the only who could survive the crazy incidents that happened around her on a regular basis. You kind of build up an endurance to that sort of stuff. "What about you? You look utterly exhausted."

"Don't worry about me," she weakly smiled. "I live in the same complex as Yuki, just like my predecessor. Besides, I'd like to keep an eye on her for a bit longer; that synchronisation gave her quite a bit of emotional feedback and I think she'll need some help sorting through all that new 'data' if you get what I mean."

I knew what she meant-Ryoko was basically going to stick around so that Yuki had someone to confide in about these new feelings she had experienced. I gave an understanding nod. "Just don't over exert yourself."

Ryoko lightly chuckled. "I should be saying that to you."

I couldn't sleep when I got home. Every time I tried to drift off, I'd remember the deaths of Mikuru and Yuki. With the day over, there was nothing to divert my thoughts from the tragedy that transpired. I was afraid that if I went to sleep, I'd see the same shit happen all over again in my nightmares…or worse.

I don't know when I finally succumbed to drowsiness, but when I was forcibly awoken by imouto-san the next morning I felt like crap. How long was I agonising over everything before I fell asleep? Judging by my current state, too damn long. My body hadn't received enough rest for the ordeal it was put through yesterday.

Despite this, I forced my way to school. Previously, I would've considered the SOS Brigade the opposite of calming. Now, though, it seemed like the best place to ease my mind, surrounded by all my friends. Yeah…friends. I'd never given it much thought before, but after all that's happened I think it's safe to say that the members of the SOS Brigade are indeed my friends. I mean, it's founder is basically my girlfriend at this point…

In my lethargic trek up the hill, I barely noticed Taniguchi sneak up on me. "Yo!" he said as usual, giving me the usual back slap. Either my lack of a response or obviously fatigued state must've tipped him off that something wasn't right. "Hey, you alright man? Has Suzumiya been working you too hard?"

"Uh…just had a terrible nightmare. Couldn't sleep last night…" I mumble. Wait a minute, why are you even asking if Suzumiya's involved? Didn't you say not too long ago that the less you knew, the better? What kind of hypocritical logic are you following, Taniguchi? "Don't worry about it. I'm sure the club'll be able to look after me."

"Wow, you must be out of it if you think hanging around Suzumiya is going to do you any good," quipped Taniguchi. "Ah well, none of my business. Catch you later man!"

Yeah, thanks arsehole. Just ask me what's wrong, realise you don't actually care enough to find out then bugger off. Flawless logic there, Taniguchi. Seriously, how does that boy even function? I swear Haruhi created him just so there was someone stupid enough that no matter how idiotic Haruhi may become, there was always a bigger idiot to make her look better.

Yare yare…

Stumbling my way to the classroom, I wasn't surprised to see Haruhi already in her seat when I opened the door. She looked at me with a cheerful expression for once, though that quickly sank when she saw the condition I was in. Quite a shame really-she's probably at her most beautiful when she has that genuine look of happiness on her face. Damn it, now I just feel bad.

Shambling into my seat, it didn't take long for Haruhi to immediately question my wellbeing. "Kyon, what's wrong? You look like hell."

I remember that time Haruhi and I were trapped in closed space. She explained it away as a bad dream. I figured I'd take a page from her book in this case. "Ah, I didn't sleep all that well. Had a horrible, really convincing dream."

"Did you want to talk about it?"

Actually, yes I would. Anything to get this off my mind. "Well, I dreamt that Yuki and Mikuru died right before me. I won't get into specifics, but…we all mourned them afterwards. Hit us pretty hard as I'm sure it would in reality. Worst part of it all was how real it was-I woke up feeling like they'd actually died." Not complete lies of course.

Haruhi placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "It's alright, Kyon," she spoke in a calm tone. "It's only a nightmare. I can assure you that as soon as you head down to the club room, Yuki and Mikuru will be there alive and well. Yuki will be by the back reading and Mikuru will be serving tea, just like they've always done. Tell you what…" She leaned back in her chair, taking on her commanding demeanour Haruhi was infamous for as the Brigade Leader. "After classes are over, you're going to sit your arse in the club room, drink some tea and relax until we have to drag your lazy butt home. Brigade Leader's orders. Penalties apply for disobedience." Despite the somewhat threatening tone, Haruhi gave me a playful smile with the last sentence.

I couldn't help but smile myself. "Aye aye, Captain," I respond, giving a mock salute. Satisified with my answer, Haruhi shifted to writing/sketching something on her desk. Facing myself forward again, I noticed Ryoko sitting down. Compared to my state, she didn't look terribly tired. Maybe Yuki gave her something to help her sleep? Glancing toward me, she smiled and gave a sympathetic nod. I returned the gesture with a slight wave.

Classes took way too damn long to finish. I was hardly able to focus. Thankfully, both Haruhi and Ryoko agreed to share their notes with me. Now that classes for the day had concluded, I guided my lethargic form to the club room, accompanied by my two classmates.

Haruhi flung the door open in her usual manner, albeit with a bit less energy than normal. "Hi-ho!" she greeted. Peeking through the door, I was relieved to see Yuki seated in the corner, book in hand, and Mikuru in her maid outfit brewing tea. Even Koizumi, with his plastic grin, was a welcoming sight.

"A pleasure to see you as always, Suzumiya-san," spoke Koizumi. Still haven't gotten tired of playing the kiss-arse I see. His gaze shifted towards me and gave a look of mock concern. Why am I not surprised he probably knows what I've been through already… "Are you alright, Kyon-kun? You look rather listless."

Before I could answer, Haruhi spoke for me. "All you need to know is Kyon had a troubled night and isn't feeling too well. Just let him rest and relax-the rest of you have robots to design!" She begins digging through a bag that, in my tired state of mind, I had completely missed her carrying. "Mikuru! Get this man some tea, ASAP!"

"Ah! Right away!" Mikuru answers. Quickly pouring a cup, she hurries over and hands it to me. Offering a quiet thank you, I gratefully accept the refreshment. As I drink, Mikuru leans in close and whispers to me. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine in the end. Just might need a little time," I answer in a hushed tone. "For now, I just want to surround myself with the usual environment the Brigade offers. Ease my mind a little."

Mikuru gives me an encouraging smile. "If you ever need to talk, I'll be happy to listen." With that, she returns to her usual maidly duties. Not going to lie-having Mikuru whisper to me like that did get my heart thumping a bit. If I wasn't in a relationship with Haruhi and Mikuru wasn't a time traveller, we'd probably be dating by now. Come to think of it, I get the feeling Haruhi's sorta interested in Mikuru too. Given that Haruhi once said she doesn't care about gender and her habits of feeling up Mikuru on a regular basis, I wouldn't be surprised if Haruhi was attracted to her. Briefly, I entertain the idea of Haruhi, Mikuru and I together in a relationship, but quickly dispel the thought. Haruhi's quite enough for me to handle, thank you very much. I don't need the added complication of a time traveller in the mix.

Finally finished rummaging through her bag, Haruhi begins laying out blank sheets of paper and drawing materials in front of everyone but myself. "Alright everyone!" she shouts. "We have a robot to design! Start drawing!"

"B-but, Suzumiya-san…I have no idea how to draw a robot!" whimpers Mikuru.

"Don't worry about it, Mikuru-chan!" Haruhi beams. "I brought plenty of reference material!" Fishing in her bag again, Haruhi produces numerous manga, printed images and other media featuring robots. Surprisingly, I also see a couple of figures. I didn't think Hauhi to be the type to collect stuff like that…or rather, how did she fit all this into her bag?

"Well…I suppose this helps a little, but…" Ryoko frowns. "I don't think any of us here are any good at doing blueprint designs. Nevermind trying to figure out the inner workings…"

Plonking herself at her desk, Haruhi points a pencil at Ryoko. "Quit worrying about the small details! These are just rough designs for now; we'll clean up the final product later." With that, Haruhi begins sketching out her own robot. Everyone else follows suite, even Yuki who's put down her book for once. I can't help but smile at everyone's dedication. Previously, it only ever seemed like we were obligated to participate in Haruhi's crazy schemes, but this time I can sense genuine enthusiasm in the job. Mikuru's flicking through a super robot manga, Ryoko's inspecting one of Haruhi's figures, Koizumi's smile looks a little less forced, Yuki is diligently sketching away already and even Haruhi has an earnest look of enjoyment on her face. It's all quite inspiring really. Better get started with my-

Oh yeah…Haruhi never actually gave me anything. What gives with that? Surely, she couldn't possibly have forgotten to assign me something. Out of all the members of the SOS Brigade, I'm the one that gets saddled with the most work. To be spared any form of duty is…strange, to say the least. "Oi, Haruhi. Where are my supplies?"

"Eh?" huffs Haruhi, looking up at me with a baffled expression. "Didn't you hear my orders this morning? You're supposed to sit there, drink tea and relax! Recovery is important! I don't want you over exerting yourself and worsening your condition!"

Seriously? I think I have the capacity to draw robots, even half-arsedly. But now that she mentions it, I can't even really think straight enough to imagine a robot. Plus, given recent events, I'm pretty certain any attempt to visualise such technological terrors would just trigger PTSD. With that sombre thought, I take a sip of my tea and obey Haruhi's orders.

Everyone else continues working hard on their robot designs. I'm actually quite curious to see what they'll come up with. I imagine Mikuru's would have a real cutesy vibe, possibly an animal theme. Not too sure what Koizumi or Ryoko would cook up though. As for Yuki…the only things I can conceive are a design that's either totally alien or incredibly practical and pragmatic.

I wouldn't have to wait long to see Nagato's design, though. About fifteen minutes after we started, Yuki rose from her seat and approached Haruhi's desk, presenting her piece of paper.

"Woah, you're done already Yuki-chan?" asks a surprised Haruhi. Yuki simply nods. Taking the paper from Yuki, Haruhi's jaw drops. "Y-yuki…how long did this take you?"

"Approximately fifteen minutes."

"…where did you learn to draw something so detailed?"

"Research."

"This is like a damn blueprint!" Haruhi exclaims. "Why didn't you tell us you could draw like this?!"

"You never asked."

In a funny sense of déjà vu, I remember Haruhi giving a similar response when I asked why she took so long to tell us we were going to make a robot. It seems the irony isn't lost on her either, given her expression. Frowning at being bested in a game of logic, she sets the paper down. "Well…very good, Yuki. Um…you can go back to reading if you want. Or draw another if you'd like. Hell, you can draw whatever you damn please. I don't give a shit."

Seemingly oblivious to Haruhi's defeated tone, I expected Yuki to pick up her book and return to her usual habit. Yet instead, she sat back down, grabbed another piece of paper and began sketching something else. Guess Yuki's found a new hobby…that's nice. Still, I wonder what exactly she submitted…

Rising from my chair, I walk over to Haruhi's desk. "Hey Haruhi, mind if I take a look?" I ask.

"Go for it." She passes me the paper in question. Holding it in front of me, I soak in the details.

…uh, why does it look so much like the Destroyer? Haruhi wasn't kidding when she said it was like a set of blueprints. It almost feels like I have the very plans used to build that monstrosity in the first place. It's uncanny resemblance to the demon I battled not too long ago is unnerving, to say the least. No…I don't like it. I can deal with having another version of Ryoko Asakura around since this one hasn't tried to kill me, but a pint-sized version of the terror that killed two alternate SOS Brigade members is out of the question. That'll just put me on edge every time I'm here!

"Haruhi…this isn't the design we're going with, is it?"

"Of course not!" she reprimands. "I'm not about to let everyone else's effort go to waste! We'll decide which of our designs we like best and build it from there. If there's some things we like about the other designs, we might even try to blend them together!" Her finger points toward me. "Incidentally, Kyon, don't think you're out of the running just because you're not feeling well today! I expect a design from you as soon as you feel better! If you don't-"

"Heads will roll," I finish for her. I smile. "Don't worry, Haruhi; I fully intend to submit a design. Just as soon as my head is clear enough to picture what kind of robot I'd like to see." I'm not lying either – truth be told, I'm pretty keen on this whole robot idea. It seems like a genuinely fun project for the SOS Brigade to pursue and I imagine our resourceful group won't have any trouble figuring out how to assemble the little guy. Plus, I can hopefully submit a design that won't trigger nightmares…

Haruhi grins at my resolve. "Glad to hear, Kyon. Now sit your arse down – that tea isn't going to drink itself."