Chapter 4
"Mikuru, pay attention! We're not here for shopping! I bet that Kyon let you do whatever didn't he? Did you two do any serious work at all?"
It felt like a lifetime since I was enjoying my quiet time with Kyon-kun, but it had to end eventually. For the rest of the afternoon I found myself having to deal with Suzumiya-san up close, stuck in her team for the second town search. I kind of feel bad for Koizumi-kun now. He got Suzumiya on his team all day.
After the SOS Brigade regrouped from our first search we had lunch and split up into different teams. I was a little disappointed I wouldn't get more alone time with Kyon, but maybe it would be too difficult if I got too close to him anyways. Yeah, that's the logic I'm going with. It wasn't because I felt upset at having my non-date be over.
In the end, we drew straws once more and Kyon was paired up with Yuki while us remaining three went off on our own.
"Miss Suzumiya, where would you suggest going to next?"
Somehow, despite Suzumiya-san's insistence that we're not here to enjoy the window shopping, we ended up at another shopping district. It wasn't as nice as the stores Kyon-kun took me to, but it was still tempting to look around.
Of course, this was Suzumiya we're talking about. I'm not quite sure what her criteria for this search were, but we somehow convinced her to search in a populated area. I'm sure if time travelers existed they'd be looking at those lovely dresses in that window over there.
"I don't think there's anything unusual here, but you did raise a good point Koizumi, maybe strange people are trying to blend in here. I've got an idea!"
Suzumiya took a few steps into a store before stopping in her tracks and turning to give me a look over.
"Koizumi, keep Mikuru company. I think I'll go inside alone."
Well that sure is a waste of a perfectly good shopping experience.
"Of course, Miss Suzumiya. What is it you plan on doing exactly?"
"That's not important! Just wait for me out here!"
Suzumiya left me and the model student beside me standing outside while she went exploring the mysterious clothing shop. My guess is she's planning to observe strange people up close. Unfortunately for her, the only people she'll find are those trying to shop without having some strange teenage girl interrogate them.
If Suzumiya-san truly wanted to observe strange beings, she should have stayed out here with us.
"She might be a while. Why don't we find a place to sit? There's actually something I wish to discuss with you."
Me? Discuss? Wasn't I just on the other side of this conversation? Unable to conjure up words, I merely nodded and Koizumi-kun led me to a small bench nearby.
"Now let's see. I apologize if I come across as unusual. To be honest, I didn't plan on talking to anyone about what I'm about to ask you today, so I guess I'll just wing it."
"What are you talking about?"
"Miss Asahina, how much do you know about Miss Suzumiya?"
What kind of question is this? Is he talking about Suzumiya as a person? I don't have much information on her personal life if that what he means.
"No, that's not quite what I had in mind. Nevermind then. Maybe it's too soon to discuss this sort of thing."
This sort of thing? I assume he's referring to…
"She's quite an interesting human being, isn't she?"
Suddenly the air became chilly. I think I need an adult now.
"I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure what we can discuss presently. You know, for a while, there was so much I wished to talk about, but to someone who's less biased than my usual acquaintances. For this reason, I'm glad Suzumiya-san has brought us all together like this."
Am I even allowed to have conversations like this?
"Don't worry. Since Suzumiya could return at any moment I'll keep things brief. I don't think she'd enjoy the thought of us discussing her behind her back. Basically, I was wondering, what do you think about Miss Suzumiya and the…unique qualities about her."
To anyone passing by it would seem Koizumi-kun and I were merely discussing the eccentricities of a normal girl, and maybe we really are and I'm reading too much into it. But didn't he already say that's not what he meant by unusual? And what does he mean what I think of her?
"Suzumiya-san is…Suzumiya-san?"
"I suppose that's definitely a good summary of her," he said, with a slight laugh before continuing.
"It's difficult putting it into words. I'm not sure what it is you've learned about her, but I'll just say that I truly believe Suzumiya's well being and state of mind have a powerful influence on those around her. For this reason, I believe it's best we make her happy and satisfied with life. Don't you think that's a wise choice?"
Well being?
I get the feeling I just heard something new and important. So what I got from this inquiry is that Koizumi believes Suzumiya's mood affects…whatever it is he believes she does. Truth be told, that doesn't contradict anything I've discovered on my own.
I've been given no information regarding how Suzumiya's ability to create temporal distortions work exactly, and I definitely found no signs myself. It's definitely a possibility that if Suzumiya is unaware of her ability, then it could be the result of a subconscious effort affected by her mood.
"So, when Suzumiya-san is upset or angry…?"
"It usually causes trouble for the rest of us. Right now, it may not seem like it, but Suzumiya is enjoying herself. At least, she's enjoying herself in a way she didn't before. She's begun a club and has fun organizing activities such as this. Unfortunately, this has a side effect of raising her expectations beyond that which any of us can deliver upon. I'm afraid even now she's showing signs of regret and disappointment."
What does she have to be disappointed about? She doesn't honestly expect us to accomplish anything when she barely gives us any instructions, let alone ones that make sense.
"Make no mistake, Suzumiya is a bright young lady. She's well aware that it's foolish to expect such drastic results. That's probably the reason things are still somewhat peaceful. I honestly don't remember the last time I spent the whole day outside with friends like we are now. However, she's still human, and humans have many subconscious desires. Although she knows her own desires aren't quite reasonable, the lack of progress is definitely taking its toll on her."
"So why are we discussing this then?"
"Jumping to the end I see. Well, I understand if you feel uncomfortable discussing this matter. You never quite answered my question after all. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure I'd have an answer myself if you asked the same of me. But I guess it's time I cut to the chase. We don't have all day after all."
Considering this is the first time I've heard Koizumi speak directly to me for so long, I definitely wasn't expecting so much talk.
"As I explained, I believe it's best to make Miss Suzumiya happy, but as long as she raises her expectations to that which we cannot satisfy, there is a serious problem. The way things are now, she might even give up on us. And there's no telling what she'd do after. So you can see why this might be concerning. What I'm trying to say is that my previous exploits in trying to bring out a more cheerful disposition in Miss Suzumiya have proven to be more difficult to pull off than I expected. It seems I alone am not enough."
So what can we do? I've let Suzumiya enjoy herself with me in ways I never want to ever again. I'd hate to have to do more.
"I think it's no secret we all come from different backgrounds. Still, I'm not sure about you, but I value everyone's safety over my own ties, which is why I'm proposing we work together, not as strange beings brought to Suzumiya by her own will, but as individuals who wish to bring about peace. After all, we are both members of the SOS Brigade, are we not?"
"I don't think I can make any promises about working with you."
"I thought so. I guess there's no point beating around the bush any further. I know you are a time traveler, and it seems you know about my connections with my esper Organization, right?"
So that's who he's working for. That was easy to figure out.
"Classified information," was all I could say.
"I know Miss Nagato would be willing to become an ally as well. My point is this though, right now, as aliens, time travelers, and espers, we can do little more than observe, and from what I've observed, things aren't heading in a very pleasant direction. Together though, we're three individuals who wish to keep everyone safe. I don't have anything in mind, but if I ever need help, I'm hoping I can count on you, not as a representative of your own faction of time travelers, but as a fellow member of the SOS Brigade."
That…sounds reasonable I guess. I couldn't help but notice Koizumi neglected to mention a certain other member of our group.
"And I'm also interested in [Kyon], or Kyon as everyone seems to be calling him. The fact that he managed to get involved in all this is rather fascinating don't you think? Paranormal backgrounds aside, I'd say he's probably the most unusual out of all of us."
Kyon's the nicest most normal person in the SOS Brigade. I'd have to question the judgment of anyone who places him as number one in the unusual category.
"Don't get me wrong. He seems to be an excellent guy. I'm sure when the time comes we can count on him as well, and I'd be more than glad to help him out in any way."
That's better.
"The same offer applies to you and Miss Nagato as well. Even Miss Suzumiya is welcome to my assistance in any way I can help. I don't consider her an enemy by any means."
Well, enemy would be pretty a pretty strong word to describe Suzumiya-san.
"Lousy store managers! What the hell is wrong with those people!? Harassing the customers? What kind of argument is that? I'm a customer too!"
Signaling the end of our discussion, Suzumiya had returned, possibly in a worse mood than before. If what Koizumi said is true and her mood controls the strange behaviors surrounding her then I hope no kittens mysteriously died nearby.
"Well that sure was a waste. Next time we better plan this out better. You guys think of ideas? They better be good ones too! Anything less and you shouldn't even bother mentioning them."
Are we seriously being scolded for something we might not do in the future?
"Let's head back now. Kyon and Yuki should probably be there by the time we arrive."
Koizumi-kun merely shrugged and ignored the half finished conversation we were in just now. Without a single ounce of suspicious air around him the two of us began to follow the Suzumiya shaped blur speeding ahead already.
Unfortunately for us, the day didn't quite end there. Contrary to what was just guessed, there was no sign of Kyon-kun or Nagato-san. Unlike earlier this morning though, their tardiness would be classified as late even by normal standards. I didn't want to say anything, but we were waiting for longer than even I had expected.
If Suzumiya's bad moods affect the world around her strongly enough to distort time itself, then I'm honestly feeling a little frightened by the increasingly dark tone she's carrying with her words.
Once Suzumiya called Kyon though, I really began to hope Koizumi and this Organization of espers he belongs to weren't as well informed as he thinks. As far as I could remember, there was some Organization dedicated to random vague acts of mystery surrounding Suzumiya Haruhi. I'm sure any theory of theirs regarding Suzumiya's subconscious affecting her surroundings should be taken with a grain of salt right?
"You dumbass! What do you think you're doing!? Get your asses down here right now! You have thirty seconds!"
For the next several minutes Koizumi-kun and I exchanged awkward glances at one another while Suzumiya attracted attention in our general direction as she continuously called Kyon-kun's phone to deliver increasingly vulgar messages. She knows there could be children walking nearby right?
Once the two late members finally arrived my hopes that Suzumiya-san would be in a better mood drifted into nothing. Not only was Kyon-kun bringing on the wrath of Suzumiya Haruhi, but beside him was Nagato-san, almost excitedly holding a book tightly in her arms. Where did she get that? Did Kyon go on a date with her too and buy it for her? Wait, these weren't supposed to be dates in the first place.
The day soon ended after Kyon bought more drinks for us. I considered turning down drinks, but Suzumiya had brought me and Koizumi along for a pretty long walk. Aside from my brief conversation with my potential esper ally, we spent the entire afternoon running and following Suzumiya-san's rather brisk speed. It was tiring!
The aura of rage that filled our entire vicinity didn't make things any easier, but luckily it was time to depart. One by one, the members of the SOS Brigade parted from our meeting point. Nagato-san left without a word, and Koizumi-kun smiled and thanked me for my company. So does that mean he and I are following the "pretend the mysterious confession didn't happen" rule as well?
Suzumiya-san ignored everyone once we started leaving, not even acknowledging any goodbyes or waves. Beside her was Kyon, who remained surprisingly unmoved by the scary girl following him around. It was tricky pulling him aside so I could thank him for our much more peaceful time together. That was easily the highlight of my day.
Leaving the rest behind, I headed home. Today was quite a busy day, but I guess I should only have expected such. My first direct orders were carried out without any real problems, and aside from Suzumiya-san's shouting in the end, it went better than I expected.
I just hope Kyon-kun's alright.
The next day was difficult to get through to say the least. After such a busy day of mysteries and new confessions and revelations, it was difficult to actually have the day off for a change. By the time Monday rolled by I was amazed that such a normal life could even exist after such excitement.
In all honesty, I was a bit thankful. My talk with Kyon-kun made me feel glad to have such close friends in all this I can talk to, and it seems Koizumi-kun wants to have a similar friendly relationship with us as well. Although I was definitely worried about what Suzumiya might do, especially after Koizumi's fears were expressed, I was still glad that I get to enjoy such good company, as well as a normal high school life in between.
In a way, I had almost forgotten completely about Suzumiya-san's scarier moments. Sure, there was at least one Organization out there that feared she might bring about dangers in the future, but I'm from the future myself. As far as I can tell, no catastrophic events happen within this time period that could be traced to Suzumiya-san. The world seems just fine.
I think I'm glad I went on that trip with everyone. Not only did I get to know everyone better, but it proved to me that Suzumiya was only human. Even the risk of her getting a little too playful with my body during dress-up time seemed rather trivial now that I had this strong feeling that Suzumiya posed no serious threat.
I could handle this. And even if I couldn't, I now have friends and allies outside of my own time that I can count on. I get the feeling things will be fine.
"Ah."
The sound of Kyon's voice snapped me out of my deep thoughts. Right now I was in the clubroom. After class duties I was surprised to find that even though I was late, the room was mostly empty. I wonder what Kyon-kun was doing.
Wait, something's wrong here. What was I forgetting? Oh right! At the time Kyon-kun walked in, I had already stripped down to my bra and panties to change into the maid costume I'm supposed to wear. My how embarrassing.
Wait, what!?
"Sorry!"
It wasn't until I heard the door slam that I became full aware of my surroundings. How long have I been standing here half naked? Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but Nagato-san was in the room with me. Was I seriously just standing there in my underwear in front of her thinking to myself for that long?
Okay, new rule, I'll prepare these inner monologues at better opportunities.
Aside from embarrassing myself once again, the following evening was rather pleasant. Figuring I should make the best of my new maid attire, I decided to serve my fellow clubmates some tea. Kyon-kun and Nagato-san seemed to be satisfied with a quiet day, and that's all it was.
The reason the day remained peaceful from start to finish though was because neither Suzumiya-san nor Koizumi-kun showed up that day.
The strangest part though is that this wasn't a single occurrence. Throughout the week, this peaceful wave continued. The next day I found out Suzumiya-san had been feeling ill and Koizumi-kun was busy with some part time work. I wonder what kind of work that is…
Kyon-kun and Nagato-san continued to be their quiet selves. I admit, I was pretty bored by then, but compared to the strange club activities from before I was thankful to be receiving a break in the first place.
Still, I hope Suzumiya-san gets better soon. I'd hate for anyone here to be feeling sick for long. As difficult as things have been I realized there was at least one bit of truth to Koizumi-kun's words from before. We were all part of the SOS Brigade, regardless of background, and though we may not exactly go well together, we're still individuals with the potential of becoming friends.
I remained hopeful. Maybe a little fever might do Suzumiya some good. It would be nice to have her come in one day and be content with normal human activities for once. It would be best if she could just learn to enjoy herself instead of dragging us along on these strange trips with her.
By Wednesday though, this lack of activity from everyone had gone from peaceful to just plain suspicious. After another leisurely stroll up the stairs to the now SOS Brigade clubroom, I was greeted by a surprising sight.
There are no activities for the SOS Brigade today. –Haruhi
This didn't appear to be the same handwriting from those flyers Suzumiya had me pass out last week (I was quite proud of myself for having the detective skills to notice that), but after checking inside the room just to be sure, I saw that it was indeed empty. Not even Nagato-san was around. Technically she could have stayed in the room as part of the Literature Club though.
If one were to ask me how I felt about all this I'd have trouble answering. Having one day off was odd, but it was definitely a godsend. This entire week was turning into a disturbingly peaceful one though. For Suzumiya-san to skip club meetings was one thing, but now we're having them be cancelled. I haven't even seen her all week, and I had very little interactions with the others.
Great, am I seriously complaining about things being too peaceful?
You can't blame me for worrying though. There were still many concerns left to deal with. I still have no idea what exactly was the point of me having to reveal my true identity to Kyon-kun, or why he managed to take such an odd confession so well.
Then there was Koizumi and his esper Organization. Looking into what information I had, I found nothing of use regarding this mysterious entity. It's kind of humorous since he seemed to be under the impression I knew more than just his identity as a secret esper.
If it was true that Suzumiya's abilities could become dangerous, then I definitely felt uneasy having so many days in a row where nothing even happened. It was definitely a problem I didn't expect to face.
The day after that wasn't much better off. It began with just me serving tea to Kyon-kun and Nagato-san once again. This time we heard no word from Koizumi or Suzumiya-san that they'd be skipping activities as far as I knew, so they should be here as well pretty soon, right?
"So that's it."
Hmm? Kyon-kun was looking at something on the computer while I prepared the tea. After I brought my attention to him he clicked the little mouse and innocently said it was nothing. I would have believed him and forgotten about this exchange completely if my eyes didn't spot a familiar set of writing on the computer screen.
MIKURU.
That's my name! Why is there a file with my name on it in the Brigade computer? Kyon wants to keep it a secret. Is it a surprise? Well that's definitely a sweet thing to happen after all these glum and uneventful days. I must see it!
"Um…what's in there? I don't know, uh, I don't think it's anything. Yep, definitely nothing inside."
Wow, Kyon-kun sure is a bad liar. Who would've thought he'd leave himself so open to a good teasing. If Kyon had paid attention he might have avoided my next sneak attack, but nothing can escape me now!
"Asahina-san, please let go!"
Kyon-kun managed to move the mouse away from me, but I managed to grab him by the shoulders to keep him from playing keep-away any further. I'm gonna learn your secret Kyon. I wonder what he's hiding so thoroughly.
For the first time since I've joined this club I was grateful for Suzumiya-san's efforts to maximize my sex appeal. It sure made it easier to weaken Kyon once I noticed he was struggling to avoid staring at me now that I was pressed up close. His arms lowered enough for me to just barely reach that mouse. Quit fighting Kyon-kun, just let me have a peek, pretty please!
"What are you two doing?"
Someone please tell me Nagato-san took up ventriloquism.
Kyon-kun froze on the spot, and I think I did too, because I was unable to make my head turn enough to confirm what had happened. I didn't need visual confirmation though, it was clear that Suzumiya- Haruhi had just walked in through the door, and the first thing she saw was me using her Kyon-kun as my playtoy.
There's no way my timing could be that bad, can it?
"Hmph!"
My next course of action was to back away and sit down quietly. I don't know, maybe I instinctually thought that if I moved away I might be able to pretend Suzumiya-san didn't see anything. That's right, I was sitting here the whole time. Who was pressed up against whom? I have no idea what you're talking about.
Suzumiya walked in dressed only In her PE uniform. Did she go for a jog or something? There was no way I'd ask once I saw that ice cold scowl on her face, but I was still curious. Most of me was expecting some sort of punishment for what she just saw though.
All she did was put her bag down though. Suzumiya-san walked right past me and ignored everyone else for a moment until she decided it was time to turn to Kyon-kun.
"So you like maids now, huh?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"We need to change."
We? Don't get me dragged into this. Wait, didn't I start this in the first place? If only I had learned to ignore things with my name on it. Now I might never know what Kyon-kun was hiding in there. All those thoughts of discovering Kyon's secret stash of love letters addressed to his favourite time traveler had vanished into dust. Wait, what's with these fancy thoughts I'm having?
"I said we need to change."
"So?"
"So get out!"
Suzumiya's harsh tone was made all the more sharp once you realized that she never had any problems undressing me in front of Kyon-kun. Is she surprisingly shy about her own body? That definitely doesn't sound like her, and if she really is shy about letting Kyon see her, how come I had to be the star of our previous romps?
Of course, I didn't have much time to think about my past with Suzumiya-san at the time since she had chased Kyon-kun out of his chair and chased him out of the room. She even locked the door. I made special note of that last part since her hands seemed to linger at the doorknob.
Maybe she and Kyon-kun got in a fight. Suddenly I was reminded of the fact that this is the first time she's attended the SOS Brigade meetings all week. She skipped the first day without even a word, and I'm guessing Kyon-kun asked her about it the day after. If he ignored her she might not have given an excuse at all.
And I forgot to ask Kyon about yesterday's note. Club meeting was officially canceled. We never got a reason for that. Suddenly I felt so careless. I was supposed to be observing Suzumiya-san and yet so many important details went right past me.
Suzumiya-san had always been odd and a bit distasteful, but she's never sounded harsh or distant like she did today. It's obvious now something's upsetting her, and it's something big enough to affect her behavior all week. When did this start? Monday? No, the last I saw her on the weekend she was really upset at Kyon-kun.
That's it though isn't it? I always found it difficult to figure out the relationship between Kyon-kun and Suzumiya-san. On occasion I may have joked to myself about how they're an official couple, but it's clear they're not going out. But the way they act around each other, or at least, how Suzumiya acts.
The two must have had some sort of fight. Whether it be a lover's spat or just a fight between brigade members, something bad happened, which would explain why Suzumiya suddenly wants Kyon-kun out of the room. But what was at the center of it all?
Suzumiya had gotten upset at me before, but she never took anything personally. As I recall, Nagato-san was guilty of being late and ignoring orders just as much as Kyon-kun, but here she is in the room, getting a front row seat to Suzumiya-san's gym class reenactment without any problems, so that can't be it.
I wonder, if he's not her boyfriend, then what is Kyon-kun to Suzumiya? They seem closer than anyone else here. If it were anyone else, the answer would seem obvious. Suzumiya-san likes Kyon. Given who we're discussing though, I never quite considered that option. If Suzumiya wanted Kyon-kun she'd have just forced him to be with her.
But she didn't do anything like that. She brought him into her life and became upset once he resisted, but she never made the first move. Could it be that deep down she honestly wants a normal, mature, human relationship?
Suzumiya's well being and state of mind have a powerful influence on those around her.
I remember what Koizumi-kun said before. If Suzumiya gets upset like she is now, something might happen. But why don't I care about that now? I feel bad for not noticing this possibility of Suzumiya's emotions sooner, but not because I neglected my duties as a partial observer.
I have friends in this temporal plane, but most of them I never meet outside of the classroom, and none of them are ones I really interact with outside of school. Suzumiya-san was different though. I spend more time after school with her, and the rest of the Brigade, than I do with anyone else. And despite her bossy tone I still spent the weekend looking at shops with her.
Suzumiya san…was my friend. That's what's bothering me. I neglected my duties, but the reason I suddenly feel guilty is because I neglected to notice my friend's melancholic state. In the past week Suzumiya-san had grown from a temporal anomaly and into a high school aged girl with feelings. And she just saw me fooling around with the boy she liked.
Mikuru-chan, you're a jerk.
Fwoop.
In my deep thought I didn't notice Suzumiya was already undressed. At the table she had on the bunny girl outfit she bought for herself. Mine was still hung up nicely. Why was she going to wear that? Wait, something seems unusual about Suzumiya. Is she covering herself up?
Looking more closely I noticed a rag had been tossed onto my lap. Suzumiya, covering her partially naked body with her arms only glared at the table Kyon-kun was sitting in earlier. His tea had spilled everywhere. And I worked hard on that tea too.
Once Suzumiya gave me a quick final glance and resumed dressing herself I got an idea of what she wanted. Without a word being spoken between us, I got up and began cleaning the mess on the desk. I was wearing the appropriate maid outfit after all.
By the time I finished, Suzumiya-san had gotten dressed. She wore only the black leotard and ears while the rest of the bunny girl accessories were left unused and her clothes were clumsily stuffed into her bag.
I expected her to order me to hurry up, but instead the scantily clad bunny girl beside me stood waiting patiently for me to finish. She leaned against the wall, next to Nagato-san. The two looked like weird sisters the way neither of them seemed to move.
Once I finished, the desk was occupied by our Brigade Chief. I sat back down, but after a few minutes, the silence I expected to end resumed, leaving Kyon-kun outside waiting for nothing in particular. I gave Suzumiya a bit, in case she just forgot and would allow Kyon to return once she remembered, but once I lost patience I slowly got up and opened the door. Not wanting to upset Suzumiya-san any further I quickly went back to my desk while Kyon took in the unusual sight.
"The arms and back are a little cool, but this costume's a bit too tight."
Suzumiya struck up a casual conversation with her love interest, but the small talk quickly waned, leaving the room in another uncomfortable wave of silence for a bit. Luckily it didn't last anywhere near as long as the first.
"Woah, what's this? Are we having a costume party today?"
Koizumi-kun walked in and gave us all a warm greeting. The Brigade was complete, and I was actually a bit glad to see the esper boy show his pretty face again. If what he told me was true, he wants nothing more than to make Suzumiya happy for all of us.
"Mikuru-chan, sit here."
Is this my turn to be punished now? Suzumiya pointed at a chair in front of her. Without much choice, and overcome with a little bit of guilt, I sat down obediently. Suzumiya then began playing with my hair, doing many different hairstyles. I expected her to suddenly yank my hair once she tied it into a ponytail, but she remained uncharacteristically gentle. What was she up to? I hurt her feelings didn't I? I made a move on the boy whose attention she's been trying to earn. Shouldn't she be planning something with me?
In front of me, the boys of the SOS Brigade played the same board games I once challenged Nagto-san to. The sight before me was a peaceful one, and despite my paranoia, Suzumiya continued to mirror that peace as she tied up my hair in different styles. Nagato-san read her book the same as always.
The SOS Brigade continued the rest of that evening having done nothing in particular. I felt like this was a nice club to join, but as I learned by now, the one person this Brigade was made for, and the one who had brought us all together, was the only one not satisfied.
I'm sorry Haruhi.
Somehow, I found myself standing alone in the dark. It was nighttime. Despite the sun having disappeared from the sky it was still warm. The nice Spring was officially no more, and the chill breezes that lingered long after Winter had died out.
In front of me was North High School, the very same one I had left earlier that evening. The streets were empty and no doubt the school's halls were somehow even more barren at this time of night. I neglected to look at the clock before leaving my home, so I had no idea what time it even was, but it sure felt late. Like a completely different world.
In my pocket my hands wrapped around the note that sent me here. I kept having to check every five seconds to make sure it was there, in case I had imagined the incident that awaited me when I got home.
After our eerily quiet meeting in the clubroom everyone had parted ways. Suzumiya and I stayed behind to get dressed, but Suzumiya-san was out of her bunny girl outfit and ready to leave in half the time I was, so I spent plenty of time alone in that room.
The evening I just experienced was an odd one. After my realization that inside that temporal anomaly that is Suzumiya Haruhi was a typical young girl, no different from myself or any other girl in the school, it was difficult for me to avoid reflecting on my previous actions.
Kyon-kun was, without a doubt, a nice young boy, and thinking about our date by the riverside was enough to lighten my spirits so much I worried they might float off into the clouds. But how can I think such thoughts knowing how much he means to Suzumiya-san? I don't even belong in this plane. Relationships are forbidden. Kyon-kun and I have no future, so how could I ever let myself get in the way of two very close friends who could be more?
Then there's Koizumi and Nagato-san. Their presence reminded me of my mission, but by this point it feels like all three of us are in this together. Koizumi-kun put it best: we are all part of the SOS Brigade, and we should all work together to make the world a safer place, perhaps by overloading it with fun.
These are all thoughts I already had though. The real thing I had trouble remembering was what followed after. Now that I knew I could get missions from my time at any moment I had gotten in the habit of checking the post daily. I had just about given up on this task when I found another postcard with the same time stamp from before with my mail.
Tonight, before dawn, be in front of the school entrance.
It was definitely meant for me. The order was vague, but what else could it mean? Since I took my time getting home it was already getting pretty dark by the time I arrived, but just to be safe I took a warm bath and tried to gather my thoughts before going, making sure it was well past bedtime before leaving my empty home once more.
The bath did me no good. Not only have my previous worries continued to persist in my head, but now I had to worry about this new mission. What if I showed up late? What am I even supposed to do? Should I wait for something to happen or is there some task that needs to be accomplished.
It wasn't long before I heard noises though. I'm not sure what I expected, but just to be safe I thought it would be best to hide. If someone were to ask what I was doing outside of the school at a time like this I'd have no excuse to give.
At least that's what the plan was. Heading towards some bushes, I somehow managed to trip on nothing and found myself face down on the floor. I think I scratched my nose on the pavement too. That hurt!
"Well this is quite a surprise. Do you need any help Miss Asahina?"
Hearing that familiar voice made me relax and panic at the same time. What was Koizumi doing here? Lifting up my head to see the boy's legs on the ground, followed by the hand he politely offered, I let myself get dragged up. Almost as shockingly, I saw Nagato-san was with our SOS supermodel. What are they doing here?
"I could ask the same of you. Of course, I had a feeling we might run into you. It wouldn't feel right with one of us missing."
What is he talking about? Missing for what?
"Hmm, I thought you'd know. So does that mean you're not here for the same reasons as us? In that case, I'd say this is much too big a coincidence to ignore. Suzumiya-san has once again pulled off the impossible and gathered us together by pure chance. I'd say that's pretty amazing."
Suzumiya-san?
"Yes, Miss Nagato said she could assist me if I came here. We're standing right outside the area encompassed by the Closed Space where Miss Suzumiya and Kyon are currently held in."
Closed Space? What's going on? Where are Suzumiya-san and Kyon-kun now?
"Oh, right, well, given the urgency of the situation I'll have to give you a brief explanation, so I apologize if I leave out any details. You may recall I mentioned that Suzumiya's state of mind affects the world around her. Whenever she experiences severe stress she creates a pocket dimension we refer to as a Closed Space."
So that speech from before was a literal interpretation of Suzumiya-san's power? She really does alter the world subconsciously? I admit, I sensed some Data interference around the school, but that's normal. Although humans have yet to discover Data manipulation, Data still exists as a force completely unnoticed by the humans around it. So this must mean the current bit of Data surrounding the area was directly caused by Suzumiya-san?
"That's right. Suzumiya gave me and my colleagues our esper abilities three years ago, and it has been our duty to keep these Closed Spaces in check ever since. Unfortunately, this current Closed Space has caused us great concern."
"What's wrong with it?"
"Under normal circumstances, a Closed Space is empty, but we have reason to believe Miss Suzumiya herself is inside. She's even got our Kyon with her too. Even more strange is that neither I, nor my fellow espers can enter the Closed Space. I can still sense it, as well as Suzumiya's mind, meaning my esper powers are still active. By all means, I should be able to enter without much effort, but I simply cannot. So now you should be able to see why there is concern."
I couldn't believe I actually understood anything that was just said. If this was the brief explanation then I'm tempted to have Koizumi give me a full blown lecture on my math classes to improve my skills there. Just a few minutes ago I had no idea what was going on, and now I have all this information regarding the mysterious Organization of espers.
Wait, Kyon-kun's in there!
"Right now the school is empty, but a Closed Space resembling our school is the setting in which our Brigade Chief and her subordinate have woken up inside. Right now we're at a loss as to what to do next. Even Nagato-san is unable to bypass the space between dimensions."
Space between dimensions? You mean like temporal fault lines? I thought beings of Data wouldn't be affected by temporal spaces.
"I cannot travel between temporal space in the way humans of your time can travel between temporal planes, however, as this space is currently within the vicinity of our location in time it is possible for me to enter if I recreate the code used by Koizumi Itsuki to enter the space created by Suzumiya Haruhi."
Did Nagato just talk? I don't think I ever heard her speak beyond a single word sentence.
"However, Suzumiya Haruhi possesses the ability to create Data and manipulate it in ways beyond the understanding of even the Integrated Data Sentient Entity. Currently, I have no method of altering the Data surrounding her jurisdiction, nor am I familiar enough with her manipulation abilities to recreate a code allowing us to enter."
But why is any of this happening in the first place? What's wrong with these Closed Spaces.
"I believe Suzumiya recreated the world three years ago through the use of these Closed Spaces."
Koizumi-kun stepped in once more and gave Nagato time to pause.
"This is why us espers try to eliminate a Closed Space as soon as it appears. When Suzumiya's mood is severe enough, they become quite dangerous and could spread to engulf the entire world. Some of my colleagues believe that we are currently experiencing the worst case scenario. Suzumiya has reached her peak and no longer wishes to live in this world, so she has currently sealed herself inside. What happens next is mere speculation. There is a possibility she may only keep herself and Kyon inside there until she is in a better mood, but it is just as likely that her subconscious is preparing to destroy the world and recreate it once more."
This isn't possible though. I'm from the future. If Suzumiya-san created an alternate world I would have gone back in time to that world instead of this one. So that means we're safe right? My existence proves it's not the end of the world. What was that about Suzumiya reaching her peak though?
"Suzumiya-san creates a Closed Space when she experiences a negative reaction within her mind. Severe depression or stress only enhances these Closed Spaces. My guess is she's finally given up on us, as well as the rest of the world."
She's given up? But why? She has so much to live for. She just started this club. I know we failed to meet her criteria, but she never honestly expected us to find her wild espers and aliens lurking in the streets and the only real problem she's faced was the loss of Kyon's interest.
…I'm responsible for this aren't I?
"It's my fault."
"Hmm?"
"It's all my fault. I'm the reason Suzumiya-san has reached her limit."
"That's definitely a possibility, but if you are indeed what pushed her to the edge then you'd merely be the straw that broke the camel's back. By that logic, I suppose we're all to blame. None of us gave her a reason to stick around. The only one she took with her was Kyon."
Kyon-kun…even after everything that's happened Suzumiya still desires to be around him. She really does care for him. I'm a horrible person for interfering.
"Kyon-kun's the only one who ever made Suzumiya-san happy, and I ruined it."
I was a little disappointed that I heard no effort from anybody to say something along the lines of "No Mikuru-chan, don't blame yourself." Still, I knew it was all my fault. Kyon-kun was the last good thing in Suzumiya-san's life and I came in between her and that happiness. I wasn't a straw, I was a camel crushing sack of hay.
"So you believe it's like that then?"
Hmm?
"What you say makes sense from what we've seen. One might say that Suzumiya truly cares for [Kyon]. He's our only hope right now."
So in the end, my mission was indeed to wait here. I know that the world will be safe, but what about Suzumiya-san? What about Kyon-kun? What about my friends?
Wait, aren't we forgetting something?
"What about Nagato-san? You said she could help you."
"I am unable to manipulate the Data jurisdiction Suzumiya Haruhi has concealed herself with, but the Data surrounding the humans which have been affected by her original program is still manageable."
What does that mean?
"So does that mean you can help us get inside?" Koizumi asked.
"I cannot alter the Data created by Suzumiya Haruhi presently, but it is possible for me to temporarily use the Data surrounding the various members of the Organization under her influence."
"Is that why you asked where all of us espers were?"
"Yes."
"And this will allow us to enter the Closed Space, correct?"
"Not necessarily. I have to borrow Data from all existing espers in order to create a code powerful enough to penetrate the spacial barrier. With the assistance of the Data I borrow I will be able to grant access through Suzumiya Haruhi's Data jurisdiction to yourself only."
"That still sounds perfect. I thank you for your help Miss Nagato. You've been of great service. Now all we need to do is think of what I shall do once I'm inside."
Suzumiya-san gave up because I stole her chances of winning Kyon-kun's heart. I get the feeling anything short of that wont be enough. We need Kyon-kun to become closer to Suzumiya.
"Is that so? I guess I'd have to agree. My previous attempts at satisfying Suzumiya-san have been less than successful. If there's anyone who can accomplish this feat, it's our good friend Kyon-kun. I'll do my best to arrange for that."
"There is more."
Nagato-san opened her mouth once again.
"The Data used is insufficient. You should be able to penetrate the barrier, but it will be difficult to maintain a physical form for long."
"I see, so I only have a small window of opportunity. How long do I have?"
"Approximately three minutes. It is also possible for me to extend communications. However, a connection from the inside will be necessary in order for me to send any further messages."
"That will have to do. How do I open connections for you?"
"Turn on the computer."
I can only imagine what kind of discussions these two have previously had in order for them to talk like this. Suddenly I feel like I haven't done much at all compared to them. I can barely tell what's going on.
"Alright then, I shall do my best. Let's hope this is enough."
Koizumi stepped towards the school, upon which a large surge of Data caused me to flinch from surprise. When I opened my eyes he was gone. So this is the power of an esper…
Aside from myself was Nagato-san. From what I heard it seems none of this would have been possible without her. Koizumi and Nagato might be able to undo what I've done, but it was still my responsibility.
"I'm sorry Nagato-san, for making you work so hard."
"There's no need to apologize. Had we not chosen to take action a drastically different outcome may have resulted."
So does she know what would happen if we left those Closed Spaces unchecked?
"I have never observed behavior such as this from Suzumiya Haruhi, thus I'm not entirely certain what is possible if the affected area is left unchecked. I only know for certain of the outcome which will occur as a result of our interference."
"So you know what will happen in the future?"
"In a way. Currently my information only extends to the near future. I have yet to obtain memories from a version of myself further than a few months from now. Everything after that point is unknown to me currently."
This girl really wasn't human. I guess as a Data being it makes sense for her memories to not be limited to three dimensional space. But why would her memories stop a few months from now? Does that mean something will happen?
"The memories I have of future events indicate that this event will be resolved shortly. There is a possibility that alterations to the world will occur which my future duplicate has yet to detect, but I am at least certain that this future involves Suzumiya Haruhi and [Kyon], both having recovered from this incident without any noticeable problems."
So those two will be safe. That's reassuring I guess.
"Also…you will be present and safe in this future."
I figured I'd be fine considering my home time was also getting by just fine, but it was nice of Nagato-san to let me know anyways.
"Thank you Nagato-san."
The two of us waited for news of our esper friend to return. It should be three minutes soon. I'm sure Koizumi is doing the best he can with that time. After that it'll be all up to Kyon-kun. Only he can give Suzumiya-san the happy ending she needs.
"It's kind of like a fairy tale. Everyone's counting on the handsome prince to wake up the princess before a disaster can occur."
"Is that so?"
I guess talking time is over.
Woosh
Feeling a strange sensation I turned expectantly to see Koizumi had returned. Did he make that noise last time? Now I wish I had kept my eyes on that spot to see what he looked like when appearing. It reminds me of my curiosity of how I looked when time traveling.
"I did what I could. I think I got the message across, but just to be safe I did what you needed me to, Miss Nagato. Feel free to resume communications."
"Very well."
Nagato-san seemed more still than usual. Why am I just now realizing that maybe her Data communications are why she's so quiet all the time? Oh well, that's not important.
"It's all up to Kyon now. I trust in him though. If anyone can change Miss Suzumiya's mind it's him. Right?"
"Um…right."
"It's done," exclaimed Nagato.
Without a word, the alien girl began walking away, toward what I assume to be the direction of her home.
"I guess we've done all we could. How about you Miss Asahina? Are you doing alright?"
I guess by all means I'm doing just fine. I can't help but feel a little uneasy though, even if I don't know why.
"Why don't you go home and get some rest. It's getting late. I can call a ride for you if you'd like."
"That's okay, I can walk from here. Thank you."
"In that case I certainly hope to see you tomorrow. Actually, it's probably past midnight now, so it should be later today. We'll know how things went then. Good luck getting some sleep. I predict I'll have trouble getting to bed myself."
The feeling is mutual. Giving a polite bow I excused myself and headed home. I have no idea how things would work out in the end, but I guess that's the life of a time traveler. I'm no stranger to doing things without knowing the full story.
At the very least I'll get some answers in the morning. Assuming I can last until then of course.
Do your best, Kyon-kun.
Somehow I managed to get some sleep before school time. I remember arriving home and noticing how late it was, but that seems to be all I did before passing out. At least that's what I assumed happened after I woke up on my couch. Normally the trek to the bed isn't this big a chore.
I did my best to look presentable for school, but I was definitely in a rush to leave. Everything seemed to be alright, and I knew the world wasn't in any serious risk, but I had some close friends I want to make sure are alright.
Unfortunately I managed to get halfway to school before I realized I had no idea what class anyone was in. It's easy to forget I'm the only member of the SOS Brigade who isn't a first year. First chance I get I'm asking around so I'll know where to look whenever I have an emergency.
As tempting as it was to look around in every room I decided it was best to wait until after school where I'd know exactly where everyone was. It sure was difficult getting through the day while constantly wondering if all my fellow Brigade members would even be here today.
It was yet another typical day, and I'm quite thankful my closest friend in class Tsuruya is close to level with Suzumiya-san in terms of wild energy, otherwise the contrast with my day to day life and my activities in the SOS Brigade would give me some serious whiplash.
I wasted no time to get to the clubroom once I could, and there I found news of how last night went. Kyon-kun was there!
I was worried for both him and Suzumiya-san, but the idea of continuing my life here without getting to see Kyon-kun every weekday was especially difficult to imagine. The world will always be there, but for several hours I had no way of knowing for certain if my Kyon would return safely today. Feeling the warmth of his chest on my face was so soothing. Although it was a few seconds before I began questioning why his chest was up against my face to begin with.
How long has that been there? I seem to have tears in my eyes and inadvertently began clinging tightly to Kyon-kun. I need to pay attention more to what I say and do. After all this work everyone went through I'm already risking a repeat event. I hereby give myself a new mission: don't do anything.
"Why aren't you wearing your maid costume today?"
Oh right! Yesterday I took that outfit home to wash it (I got tea all over the apron while cleaning up). With all this mess I forgot to bring it back to school with me. On the bright side though, it was nice of Kyon to change the subject so quickly. Only someone like him can read me so well.
"Oh yeah, Asahina, do you have a star-shaped mole around here on your chest?"
When the hell did Kyon see my boob? Wait, I do have a mole there. Does he have a photographic memory and managed to study every blemish of my skin during the many occasions my cleavage was paraded for everyone? And what does he mean by star-shaped?
I decide it's best to check myself out and peek into my shirt, but it's for the purpose of double checking before answering the question only, I swear. Wait, is that a star? I've had that mole my whole life and never noticed that. What kind of robot powers is Kyon-kun hiding?
"When did you find out?"
Kyon could just give me a smirk and relaxed. This is not fair. Nobody's allowed to know my own breasts better than I am. Why'd he even bring this up anyways? We were having a perfectly good conversation about laundry just now.
"What are you two doing?"
Noooooo! Suzumiya-san walked in on me banging Kyon's still warm chest with my tiny fists. This is the exact thing I was avoiding. Why does Suzumiya have to confirm she's alright as soon as I start messing up again?
"Mikuru-chan! You're tired of maid costumes right?"
I immediately noticed a smile I hadn't seen in a while. This girl is not the same one who was here yesterday. It seems Suzumiya was in a better mood, which is definitely good, but her question, along with the bag she held, was not good news for myself.
This was how I earned my very own nurse uniform for Kyon and Suzumiya-san's pleasure. I'm beginning to hate how much I'm enjoying that last part.
"It's perfect! You look even sexier in this costume than the others! What other nice outfits can we get you to try on Mikuru-chan? Ooh, pretend to give us all checkups!"
Maybe "enjoy" isn't the right word, but this was my life now. Koizumi-kun let out his hand to us all and offered to be good friends inside the SOS Brigade, and Nagato-san herself told me she knows I'll stick around in the future. Who am I to deny an alien her memories?
If I were to go back in time and let my younger self know what future awaited her I doubt she'd be very pleased. I'm not even sure if I was pleased either. One thing's for sure though, I don't really mind this either. I guess it's okay when you get down to it.
For my remaining time in this temporal plane, I was a proud member of the SOS Brigade.
I still can't believe it's shaped like a star though…
Author's Notes
I've had it pointed out to me that I tend to switch between Japanese and English honorifics for these stories, and that's somewhat intentional. I find that neither way of speaking sounds natural 100% of the time when translating these stories, so I always just go with whichever feels less awkward for that specific(it's also why I randomly switch between British and American spellings…). I feel this is most noticeable in Mikuru's story, since she's so polite and has a very natural way of speaking that just doesn't translate well to proper English, let alone fanfiction based English.
The important thing about Mikuru for me is that she's much more complex than people assume. That's how I see it at least. Just like Haruhi's thoughts don't necessarily have to reflect her outward behavior, I get the feeling Mikuru's thoughts are much more silly and even cynical compared to what she says out loud. It's not that she's two-faced or anything, it's just that she's very sweet and polite, which means she has a tendency to keep quiet and always thinks twice about what she says to whom rather than blurting out whatever pops into her head. She thinks the same thoughts most people do, she's just too shy and timid to show it.
Mikuru is often near the bottom of the list of popular characters out of the main cast, for reasons I'll never quite understand. And the few people who do like her tend to only think how cute she is. Just like everyone else though, you really have to wonder what kind of person would do the things she does and why, which really makes her a lot more interesting than I feel anyone gives her credit for. Hopefully my version of Mikuru is more likable and makes more sense than the generic moe girl people assume she is based off her cute loli-ish looks. We should all appreciate and love our lolis though, and maybe be as cool as Mikuru is.