The Switch
By Writer of Art
Disclaimer: Do not own
"Ah, home… My only sanctuary…"
By saying that, I'm probably being cynical, but what does that matter…
Having a full day of going through Haruhi's tedious work, because of Koizomi's theory exciting her. If you didn't know, Koizomi came up with a topic to get something for everyone to do.
Of course I was okay with doing something with Haruhi and the others, but if it had to do with big textbooks and thorough searching… Then, I can only handle so much…
The topic? Koizomi came up with a theory that our world had a parallel world like this one, only slightly different. Of course, Haruhi got all big on it, and wanted to look for a way to get to one.
Did she even know which parallel universe she wanted to go to? I mean, it's multiverse, if the theory is correct. Although, knowing Haruhi, any theory can make sense…
Maybe I should just sleep off today's worries, I'm just going to go through more tomorrow…
-X-
Probably waking up is part life's troubles, you just want to keep sleeping, but you need to get working… I should wake up, this is the second time I pressed the snooze button.
Ah, I slept in my uniform again… Well, a little wrinkles didn't hurt anybody. Plus, I can save a little more time for breakfast.
Even though it was another day, something felt a little different about this day. My toothbrush seemed different, but I could think of it from my sister doing that since she's learning about oral hygiene in class nowadays…
Not only my daily routine was strange, some housing arrangements were different, but not entirely. Either I'm losing my mind, or Haruhi is up to something. I'll go with my first choice, thinking about Haruhi hurts my head as it is…
Well, the walk to school didn't seem different. The building looked the same, and every student seemed as peachy as they can be. Even my shoe locker seemed like it was expecting me… I think I might be losing my mind.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing!?"
Apparently, the yelling from the female started today. But, it wasn't the female. The one that was yelling I didn't recognize, freshmen maybe?
"What?"
"That's my friend's locker! I should know, we always meet here every morning."
Seeing the number on the locker, it was the same number that I knew of, I have no idea what this chick's problem was.
"Tani-chan, it could be a misunderstanding. Right?"
This other girl seemed to understand a bit, but this was my locker number. How could it be someone else's? I knew I couldn't win in an argument with women, so I just hid my shoes in my bag for now…
This day seemed a bit strange, first my house, my locker… What could come next? My desk suddenly coming to life and saying it's not yours?
"That's not your desk, dude…"
I'm surprised to hear my own thoughts being said to me, but this guy that sitting behind me isn't Haruhi…
"Uh… Who are you?…"
"I'd like to ask the same thing…"
Somehow, this guy gets on my nerves.
"Um, I'm the guy that's always been sitting here. You're the one that seems to be sitting on the wrong desk…"
The guy only gave me a stupid look, what's his deal?
"Wrong desk? I've been in this class for a long time, you're the total stranger."
Okay, I've had enough of this game…
"What game is that?"
"Why are you sitting in Suzumiya Haruhi's place!?"
I may have yelled a bit there, but having this annoying dude toy with me is getting on my nerves.
"It's Haruhiko, dumbo. My name is Suzumiya Haruhiko…"
I panicked, I nearly fell over my desk. Looking at this guy's face did remind of Haruhi, but Haruhi never mentioned of having siblings or switching schools. Is this another stunt of Nagato's?
"Hey, you alright?"
This "Suzumiya" person looks at me as if I'm a nut case, so did the whole class. Actually, the class seemed different as well. I may have not known the whole class much, but the students were different. I ran out the classroom, this whole thing seems just… off.
I have to find someone who can help me, Koizomi's class is the closest!
"Hey, Koizumi!"
"Uh… Yes?…"
I only see a girl answer, she looked a bit like Koizumi. Hopefully, she's related to him in anyway…
"Um, can I talk to you for a moment?…"
She seemed nervous in a way when walking to the door, and the whole class started to murmur amongst themselves. Hopefully, I didn't start something.
"Okay, I don't know if your related to Koizumi Itsuki in anyway, but I need him, Asahina Mikuru, and Nagato Yuki's help…"
I waited for the girl's answer, but all she did was look at me funny.
"But… I'm Koizumi Itsuki. I know Nagato Yuki, but is this Asahina-san related to Asahina Mitsuru?"
I could only sigh from this conversation. Asahina Mitsuru? Who's that? And how are you Koizumi Itsuki?
"If you're Koizumi Itsuki, are you… An esp-"
I suddenly find the girl's hand on my mouth, and should I find it wrong to kind of like this…
"How much do you know?"
"Nagato is an alien, and Asahina-san is a time traveler."
The bell rings for class to start, I didn't know what to do for now…
"I'll talk again with you on my break, you seem to know about us quite a lot… Um, what's your name?"
"Kyon."
The girl's eyes widen, and stares at me like some ghost.
"Uh, I'll get back to you later…"
The girl gets back to the class, I can hear some of a commotion.
"So, who was that Itsuki-chan?"
"Oh, some guy that tried to ask me out, I turned him down though…"
Eh?! You may not be the Koizumi I know, but you have his annoying tenacity…
-X-
I decided to wait in the clubroom, even though there were some differences, it felt like the same clubroom. I notice the door open to the "Koizumi" girl, and a couple of other guys. One of them reminded me of Nagato, and the other of Asahina… As a male… This is strange.
"Ah, I was going to find you after I got everyone here. But, somehow you knew this place…"
The Nagato-looking guy stares at me as if he was scanning me.
"The DNA structure on this man is the same, except he is completely male… Haruhiko might have gotten his wish…"
Um, not to be out of the norm, but can anyone tell me what's going on?
"I guess you could say it was my fault…"
The girl gave me a familiar smile.
"Our friend, Suzumiya Haruhiko, has abilities that can create any reality that he thinks of. Although, he is unaware of it. I told him of a theory of parallel universes and he got curious of it… You might have came from another universe…"
It sounds very familiar, I had the same problem with Koizumi. Until after that day, I found myself in a different yet familiar place. That's when I've been going through weird things…
"I see, then the Koizumi Itsuki and others you have been talking about were probably our parallel selves. Wait, you said you had the 'same problem'… Did the parallel Koizumi give the same problem with your Suzumiya-san?"
The only logical thing was to nod…
"Then, that created an unreadable dimensional shift for both you and Kyonko…"
Um, Nagato, I'm guessing… Who's this Kyonko?
"She would be you, speaking in biological terms. But, a parallel form of yourself."
This all sounds insane, but I think "insane" might be the only normal thing in my life… Although, it might be interesting to meet my female self…
"Not only did the parallel Suzumiya-san wanted to see a parallel world, but ours did as well."
So, am I stuck here forever or is there a way back home?
"Um… Would you like some tea?…"
Hmm, even the male Asahina-san is harassed in cosplaying. Now I feel sorry for both… Well, at least it's only a guy in a suit. Woah, this tea's not bad…
"For now, stay until after school. We'll consider a plan from there…"
We better create a plan, this is practically you and your male counterpart's fault…
-X-
Playing Go by myself wasn't that great of fun, but it gets you to do something. Reading some of the books wasn't that bad either, the authors switched so reading from a different author was interesting.
Besides from talking about nonsense, someone finally gets to the clubroom. Ah, as expected before anyone else, its Nagato.
"Hey…"
*Nod*
Yup, the same Nagato. It's a bit awkward to see her as a guy though… I see he sits in the same spot to read, I guess not all things are different.
A little later, Koizumi and Asahina "Mitsuru" are followed in with possibly my greatest challenge… The male Haruhi…
"Oi! What are you doing here?!"
I wish I can say, but I'd rather die from Haruhi than you…
"Don't worry, Suzumiya-san. He wants to join our club…"
At least this Koizumi knows how to handle things, you never know what a female is capable of. A female esper for that matter…
"Hmm… First accusing me of not being me, now you want to join my club… What's your game?"
If I said I'm from another universe, can I go back home with my head?
"This is actually Kyonko's cousin from America, he's in a foreign exchange student program with her…"
Some cover that was…
"Ah, so I guess that's why she wasn't here today. But how come she didn't say anything about it?"
You sent me here, and your double took your Kyonko…
"I guess last minute things…"
"I see, then, what's your name?"
Geez Koizumi, you don't need to squeeze my shoulder to think of something. I got this, if it worked on her, it should work on this guy…
"John Smith."
Given a stern look from this guy, he's probably thinking, "How ominous". Or maybe, "Smith? I've met someone named Smith in the past…", if he's been through me in time. As a girl that is…
"Welcome to the SOS Club, John Smith!"
Well… That happened…
I can see that familiar smile on Haruhiko's face, I guess I'm never far from home.
After going through a long day of Haruhiko's rambles, and unnecessary male sexual harassment on Asahina… We let Haruhiko go home first so we can discuss on a plan.
"Now, since this all started with having the curiosity of parallel universes, we should get Suzumiya-san excited again. With that, we could get any readings of any dimensional rifts appearing from Nagato-san. Right?"
"Yes, if any dimensional rift is detected, we will have to act swiftly."
I'd say that would work…
"And with that, we could get into contact with Kyon's Nagato Yuki to have the rift stabilized enough for both beings to enter and exit."
Sounds like a plan to me.
"Well, until tomorrow…"
Wait, I just realized… Where am I suppose to stay for now? I can't stay at "my" place, the folks will freak when they see that their daughter turned into a son. Not only that, I'll find it strange to find a little brother…
And what about Kyonko's whereabouts? Won't that cause a ruckus?
"Don't worry, I'll have my Agency take care of sending a letter to Kyonko's family saying she moved to America. Nagato-san will give them a fake memory that she was sent…"
That sounds a bit overboard, Koizumi… And why are you holding my arm near your chest?…
"As for living arrangements, would you like to stay at my place?"
I want my arm back!
"I'm kidding, Nagato-san requested that you stayed with him."
Nagato, huh? Well, that's fine. If I had to stay with a female Koizumi, I'd probably find myself a new phobia for espers…
-X-
I see the way to Nagato's house is the same, although, why is this weird guy following us?
"Hey! Nagato! Be sure to tell me of any fun parties you're going to have next time, nyara!"
Nyara? Wait… Don't tell me…
"Right…"
"Cool! See ya!"
Say Nagato, was that guy's name Tsuruya by any chance?
"Yes, that's Tsuruya-senpai. But, in your perspective, he would be known as a female."
You got that right, it's a bit odd finding his talking different too.
Well, the apartment still looks the same. Especially the room, all plain. Let's see, yup, even the room where I slept with Asahina-san is the same.
Nagato, this room still has that dimensional thingy, right?
"Yes, Asahina-san and your parallel self were used here for a reason to get back to their original time. You have been in it before, right?"
Yeah, you can guess the story on what happened…
-X-
Finally, the day we'll probably find my way home… Nagato and Asahina-san distract Haruhiko on parallel universes, while Koizomi and I tries to find a shift or whatever outside.
"Hopefully, the boys can get Suzumiya-san into the whole search thing excitingly…"
Well, yeah. By the way, why do you look spruced up?
"What? A girl can't look her best?"
Hopefully, the other Koizumi isn't like this…
"Hey, can I ask something personal?…"
It better not be a weird question…
"What is Suzumiya-san to you?"
You should know that best, she's a crazed, selfish, awkward girl. What else is there to describe her?
"True, but what does she mean to you?…"
Why do you seem like you need answer urgently… But, I guess she's the one that helped my life become more interesting… I like her for that, I suppose…
"Ah, I see…"
I hate awkward silences…
"Ah! I sense a strange shift in a closed space, come on!"
Okay! Okay! You don't have to yank!
I don't know if I should feel nostalgia for closed space, everything seems the same, yet I miss it somehow…
"There! That light!"
I see it! Wait, there's a giant heading toward it…
"Yikes, if that Celestial gets through, it could create a chaotic shift for time and space. I'll distract it, you get out of here while you can."
What about Haruhiko? Or Kyonko?
"We'll handle Suzumiya-san, you get home first and try to Kyonko for us…"
Right, thanks for everything…
"Wait…"
Hm? What is- Agh?! What was that?!
"What? There's nothing wrong with a goodbye kiss…"
When I get home, sterilize my whole face… Stop smiling!
Okay, gotta run. Woah, dodge the giant legs!… Yes, made it.
Heh, this portal thing looks more like a tear. Whatever, I'll just go thro- Hey, is that a person coming in?…
"Ha! Finally, back home! I can clean my face and…"
Huh… So this is what I look like as girl… Not bad… Is that weird to find myself cute?
"Damn that girl, you better get back home yourself… You have no idea what I went through…"
I think I can, you're me remember?
"I'm a girl…"
Oh… Right. Haruhi made you cosplay, didn't she?
"Yup, I'd like to stay and chat to myself, but I'd want to get back home as soon as possible…"
Right, good luck on your side…
"You too…"
-X-
Man, traveling through universes makes you feel like you know a lot more than a super intelligent scientist from Harvard. But knowing Haruhi, it's just preschool.
"Welcome back, Kyon."
Now the feelings gone from this guy…
You! You stay away from me for a whole month, I'm drenching myself in salt water…
"My, my… I wonder what happened on the other side…"
Shut up, and stop smiling…
END
Next time, Kyonko's story…