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Six Characters in Search of Suzumiya Haruhi

a Suzumiya Haruhi fan fiction by Michael S. Repton

Act One: Mikuru

1

I can't really tell you how it all started. It's not that it's classified; it's just that my memory is so vague. I was living in an apartment that I rented from Suzuki Yuusuke, the owner of Suzuki Stationery. But I can't tell you anything about how I came to be living there, or even how I came to the city, or where I grew up before then. I suppose that I must have had a different life, once. But I couldn't remember things ever being any different. When I tried to look back, it was like standing between two mirrors and seeing nothing but a never-ending line of reflections.

It's not that I felt any kind of lack or regret over not having a past. When life stretches on and each day is the same as the one before and the one before that, you just get on with things as best you can, and don't worry about big questions that are never going to be answered.

I lived and worked in the Iwaigawa Shopping Strip, deep in the heart of the city.

What city?

I don't know. Everyone just referred to it as "the city". Do you have a name for the universe?

Every morning, I got up and put on my work clothes, a tight-fitting red suit with bunny ears and black tights with a cotton tail. My morning job was at the greengrocer's, Morimura Produce. I liked that shop. It was very pleasant to be surrounded by so many different colours and scents, to feel that in the drab world there was one little corner that was full of life. There were fruit and vegetables of all varieties: apples and oranges and mangoes and strawberries and cabbages and mushrooms and lots more besides. And each morning when I arrived at work, the owner, Morimura Kiyozumi, would tell me which produce was on sale that day, and I would stand outside with a sign and call out to the long line of shoppers passing through the strip, "Sorry to bother you when you're so busy... um... for one hour only, we have a half-price special on Napa cabbages!"

And much less than an hour later, the Napa cabbages would be gone.

The customers seemed to be fond of me. They would always look round towards me as they drifted into the shop, and greet me with a smile. Even Kenta, the boy who came every morning with a cart from our suppliers, would stop and call out, "Keep up the good work, Mikuru-chan!"

And I would glance upwards and blush, adjust my bunny ears to stop them falling off, and fumble out a faint "Thank you!"

And then when it came to one o'clock, I would go into the back of the shop and bow to Morimura-san; and he would give me a broad grin, showing off his missing tooth, as he handed over the envelope containing that day's pay. He would say he was sorry that it wasn't very much, and I would blush as red as the beetroots we sold, and stammer, "No, I'm the one who should apologise! All I do is stand there... I'm sorry it's all I can do!"

And Morimura would shake his head and smile kindly. "But by standing there, you're drawing in the customers and keeping us in business. I can't thank you enough, Mikuru-chan."

I didn't really understand him; but I knew that he would never let me refuse the money, so I took it and ran off to the shop of Kumai, the butcher, where I would have lunch before starting my afternoon job. Then, after another four hours of drawing in customers, I would retire, exhausted, to my apartment above Suzuki Stationery, and have a simple supper before lying down to sleep for the night.

Sometimes I felt a little helpless. Sometimes, as I lay in bed and waited for sleep, I wished I could have a talent, that I could be smart or brave or beautiful and do something for the world; but when I got up the next day and Morimura greeted me with a smile and a pat on the back, then I would feel I wasn't doing so badly after all. Life, to quote one of Suzuki-san's wise sayings, isn't something you can get outside of and change. It's just there.

And then, one day, everything did change.

I was standing outside Morimura's shop as usual. It was a cold and quiet day; as I looked towards the end of the shopping strip and the boundary of my little world, I could see a dull and featureless sky outside. No birds; no kites or balloons; not even a patch of sunlight broke the monotony. On days like that, we would always get fewer customers, and they would be less inclined to smile, more inclined to make their purchases in a hurry and move on. I tried not to let the mood get to me, but as the hours passed and the sky refused to lighten, it was hard to feel cheerful.

And then they came into the shop. I'd been there long enough to get to know the regular customers, so I knew at once that these three girls were first-time visitors. They were in a tight huddle, chattering to each other; they hardly seemed to notice me. I called out, "Sorry to bother you... we have a sale on red onions today..."

They stopped, and turned round towards me. The girl in the middle was the tallest and most beautiful of the three, with elegant long hair. Her mouth twitched upwards into a faint smile. But the other two stood still for a moment, and then the girl with short black hair burst into fits of helpless laughter.

I faced them and smiled. I didn't know how else to respond.

"Noriko, that's quite rude," the long-haired girl said to her friend.

"Heh... sorry," said Noriko. "I just couldn't help it. I mean, just look at that costume!"

"I think it's cute. Don't you think so, Hanako?"

Hanako, a plump girl with ginger hair, just snorted and turned to gaze at the cauliflowers.

The three girls left a few minutes later, with a large bag of cauliflowers. I tried to put them out of my mind; I was sure I would not be seeing them again. But much to my surprise, the long-haired girl came back into the shop two minutes later, alone. She gave me a warm smile and bowed.

"I'm sorry for my friends," she said, very politely. "They can't help it, you know. They're just girls."

"Oh... that's quite all right!" I stammered. "I mean... it's not important at all."

"I think everyone's important," said the girl. "Humans are such diverse and fascinating creatures."

I stared at her. I really had no idea how to respond to this.

She tilted her head and looked at me quizzically. "Don't you think so?"

"Um... I suppose so..."

"I see," she said.

There was silence for a while. She stood still; she wasn't staring at me or anything like that, but I still felt uncomfortable, and found myself wishing she would go away. I shouldn't think like that. I'm not supposed to.

"It must be a difficult job," she said at last. "Do you get the chance to go out much at all?"

"Um... not really..."

"No? That's a shame." She paused thoughtfully. "Would you like to come out with me this evening?"

"Really?"

She laughed. "I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it."

"But... why?"

"I like going out with my friends. Don't you?"

"I... don't really have friends. I mean, Suzuki-san is very kind to me..."

"I'm sure he is," said the girl. "But someone like you needs some friends her own age. I tell you what, would you like me to be your friend?"

Startled, I took a step back, and then looked up into her eyes. They were sweet, gentle blue eyes, and she had such a kindly smile. "That would be nice," I said.

"Great!" Her eyes sparkled. "I'm sorry if I sound pushy. I just like to see people smiling."

"I can smile..."

She stepped closer, and lowered her voice. "I know you put on a smile for the customers, but it's not really the same thing, is it? Why don't you come out tonight and enjoy yourself – then you can really smile!"

"Well..." I stopped. Again, I just didn't know what to say. It's not that I didn't want to go out, either. I was feeling new emotions that I wasn't used to feeling, and didn't know how to process them.

"What time do you finish work?" said the girl.

"At six."

"All right, then. Meet me at the entrance to the strip at six. You'll be there, won't you?"

"Yes."

"You're sure of that? Or do we need to pinky promise?"

"I'll be there," I said.

"All right, then!" she said with a broad grin. "See you tonight!"

She swung around and was about to head out, when she remembered something. She turned towards me.

"Oh, my name's Asakura, by the way," she said. "Asakura Ryouko."


By six o'clock, the sun had sunk behind the mountains that surrounded the city; but it was still there, invisible in the distance, casting a grey aura over the world that would linger for some hours before night finally descended. The crowds of casual shoppers were gone, and the strip was nearly empty. A grey cat prowled around in search of leftovers. A young couple strolled past, arm in arm, as if they had drifted in like a leaf going wherever the wind takes it. An elderly man sat propped against the wall, snoozing. Every so often, a bicycle rattled past, ridden by a middle-aged woman with bulbous supermarket bags sprouting out around her. The heat of the day had faded, and the cool evening air brought in new smells: flowers in the gardens along the side streets, and freshly poured beer. As I walked from Kumai-san's to the strip's entrance, I passed the bars where the old-timers got together for their karaoke evenings. A faint wisp of music wafted its way through the doors. I could not hear the words; but it was the sound of people opening their hearts to each other, and some of the warmth came out and touched me.

Ryouko was there, precisely on time. At the moment I emerged onto the main road, she appeared in the distance, waving as she hurried towards me.

"Good evening!" she called out.

"G... good evening, Asakura-san!"

"No need to be so formal. You can call me Ryouko. Oh, and I didn't get your name?"

"Ah, I'm sorry! I'm Asahina Mikuru..."

She looked at me with round eyes. "What a lovely name!"

"You really think so?"

"I certainly do."

"Well... no-one's ever said that to me before."

"What a shame." She smiled. "I think it's quite charming. Shall we get going?"

"Yes! Um... where are we going?"

With a sweep of her hand, she indicated the road stretching out until it disappeared into the mountains. On either side of it were houses arrayed in erratic blocks, at first distinct, but as they shrunk into the distance, they seemed to melt together into a grey mist. I turned from side to side, looking for a flash of colour, anything that would suggest a point to make for; but I saw nothing.

"What is there to do there?" I asked.

Ryouko slowly looked round and gazed into my eyes and grinned. I stepped back, unsettled.

"You've never been into the city before?"

"I'm sorry. I have a very simple life..."

"Why are you sorry?" she said merrily. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. Are you happy with your life?"

"I... I suppose so..."

"You've never really wanted anything different?"

"Not that I can think of..."

She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. "You've never felt the urge to – you know – shake things up a little?"

There was silence for a moment.

"I don't really know what you mean."

She chuckled. "Well, then! How about I show you?"

She took my arm and led me down the road, humming contentedly as we went along. I fell readily into step with her. It had been a hard day at work, and it was pleasant to forget my weariness for a while and stroll along with no particular purpose, just letting Ryouko lead me wherever she chose.

The road dipped, and the buildings rose high all around us, until the view was blocked in all directions except the straight line that stretched ahead of us – and, when I looked back, behind us too. The entrance to the shopping strip was already invisible; lost, perhaps, among so many buildings that looked identical. And if the strip could disappear like that, so easily – how many more hidden worlds might there be under the blank façades? I felt suddenly small and insignificant, like an ant emerging from its burrow and seeing the world for the first time.

Ryouko seemed to be untroubled. I supposed that she had walked down this road so many times that she no longer felt the strangeness. It was part of her world, just as my life in the shopping strip was part of mine.

Every now and then a side road opened up, and I saw for a moment a line that ran up the hill and came to an abrupt stop, leaving whatever twists and turns lay beyond my line of sight as a mystery. Then, as my eyes strayed upwards, I felt Ryouko tugging me along, and just as quickly, the side road vanished again.

At last Ryouko stopped, and turned down a road to the left. "Not much further now," she said. It looked like every other road we had passed, and I had no idea how she knew it was the right one; but she seemed to know.

The sky above us was darkening, and the gleam of the streetlights seemed to grow stronger as it pushed back against the shroud that threatened to spread over it. A strong white light came from a gap in the buildings on the right-hand side of the road; it seemed almost solid, like a magical gateway. But when we reached it, Ryouko turned towards it, and I stopped and gasped.

A paved street had appeared ahead of us. It ran between two rows of neat little shops, each one with a lamp hanging outside. These formed two perfectly regular lines that ran towards each other, until in the distance all the lights merged into a wild blur. Above this, a tower rose into the darkness, I could not tell how far away. Its sides gleamed with tiny lights that ran in spirals around it like ribbons; they tapered towards each other and almost met, but then blossomed out into a globe of glowing colour that hung in the night sky like a beacon.

And the sounds and smells! How can I describe them? It was like stepping into a new world: all at once the roar of traffic from the main road behind us vanished, and we were surrounded by people walking and talking and laughing and shouting and singing. Food was frying in stalls along the street, and the vendors called out to attract customers. Many scents mingled into a web of interweaving threads, making a rich texture like nothing I had ever smelled before; I stopped, fascinated, trying to unravel them and pick out what each one was, but I could not.

"Isn't it marvellous?" said Ryouko.

"It's... amazing," was all I could find to say.

"Then what are you waiting for?" She span round and grinned like a child letting off her excitement before opening her Christmas presents. "Come on in!"

And she grabbed my hand and practically ran down the street. At regular intervals there were arches overhead; their undersides were lit up, and the light reflected in the white tiles below us, forming a complete circle that encased us in a shimmering aura.

We came to a halt at an intersection, where another paved street led away, and another crowd of young people were drifting up and down. Where the streets met, there was a bit more space, and Ryouko stopped to take a deep breath, letting the atmosphere flow into her and energise her. I noticed that many of the people seemed to know Ryouko; they stopped and smiled and bowed to her before floating on.

"Are those your friends, Ryouko-san?" I asked.

"I'm very popular in these parts," she laughed. "Everyone wants to be my friend."

"They don't seem to like me very much," I said. No-one was bowing or smiling towards me. A couple of the girls stopped and glanced in my direction, made an unfriendly grimace, and turned away.

"Just ignore them," said Ryouko. "They're just jealous because I'm spending time with you."

"But..."

"Don't worry about it, all right?"

She gave me such a friendly smile that I couldn't help feeling cheerful again. Then she led me over to a café that stood overlooking the intersection; it had an array of outside tables, most of them for just two people. We sat opposite each other, and a waitress appeared at Ryouko's side.

I didn't even hear what Ryouko ordered; the chatter all around us was deafening. It was like being in a forest, surrounded by the cries of cicadas.

The waitress disappeared, and almost instantly, two milkshakes appeared on the table. Ryouko pushed one over towards me, and leant forward and she sipped hers, and gazed deep into my eyes.

"What is it, Mikuru?" she said. "Something's troubling you."

"Well..." I sat silent for a long time, struggling to put my thoughts into words. "I just..."

"Yes?"

"I just don't know why you're spending time with me," I said, staring down at the bubbling surface of my drink. "I'm not an interesting person... there are so many other people who want some of your time..."

"Oh, but I find you very interesting, Asahina Mikuru," she said. "You've lived such a sheltered life, up until now... it's a unique opportunity to see what you make of the world. This should be intriguing."

"I, also, am intrigued."

Startled, I looked up to see who had spoken. The voice was quiet, emotionless; I wasn't even sure whether it was male or female. But the small person looking out from under the hood of her duffel coat was certainly a girl. She stood back from the table, and the crowd seemed to flow around her as though no-one else could see her.

"Do I know you?" said Ryouko.

"Uncertain. The effects of dimensional transference may have instabilised the correspondence of internal data structures."

I blinked, and looked at Ryouko to see whether she understood this strange answer.

She just smiled. "Why don't you sit down and have a drink with us?"

"I have accomplished my purpose. For now, I shall withdraw." She turned away. Just before she melted back into the crowd, she glanced round and said, "We shall meet again, Asahina Mikuru."

"H... hey!" I called out. "How do you know my name?"

She made no reply. The grey of her duffel coat blended into the haze of the streetlights, and she was gone.