Chapter Twelve: Recoil & Reassess

They were really struggling. They didn't look it. Yuki hadn't collapsed again; she looked pristine as ever, but Kyon knew that appearance was deceptive.

He decided not to delve into the specifics of "why" the Data Overmind had summarily dumped her until after he could be sure that Yuki could take care of herself.

"Migi hidari, midari higi, hidari migi, itsumo itsumo sono michi , onnaji —" (right, left, light, reft, left, right, it's always always this way, the very same—)

The cooking class had strange taste in music. It was quite distracting to Kyon. He kept mixing up his left and right and that was staring to aggravate him.

Yuki had no trouble with the audio suggestions, though. She was still dangerously pale, and light-headed enough that Kyon had to wonder whether she was actually listening to him sometimes. Plus she was still a computer. Computers don't mix up their rights and lefts, once programmed in.

"Hey, are you sure you're getting enough sun?" Kyon inquired.

Yuki nodded. "4 times, I went into the sun for 30 minutes."

"Meaning, two hours total." Kyon sat back. "How much energy do you get from that, again?"

"4.8 hours' time. This is 1/2oth of the 24-hour day."

"It's so hard to calculate your dietary needs with this chlorophyll energy ... thing," Kyon complained. "Oh, why did the Data Overmind have to desert you like this?"

Yuki ignored this. "I can do the math," Yuki stated.

Kyon cast her a sardonic glance. "I know you can. What I want is to see it in front of my eyes." He felt irritated and peevish.

"I can do that. It may surprise and disturb the real cooking class." Kyon knew she could think her way around this obstacle, if she wanted to. Apparently she didn't want to. He couldn't think why. Was this stubbornness a part of her emerging personality? "However…you said were going to show me how to cook nikujaga today," Yuki prompted.

"Yes, yes, like I know how to make nikujaga," Kyon muttered, picking up the recipe book from the counter and paging through it.

Yuki cocked her head to the side. "How do you intend to teach if you cannot make it yourself?"

"From the recipe. I know the steps in between the instructions that you don't, because they're not specified exactly," said Kyon. "My mom taught me those. I can cook in general. Haruhi, apparently, can't, a fact for which I am grateful." What havoc she would bring.

Out loud, Yuki wondered why Haruhi couldn't cook.

"Blowed if I know," said Kyon, rudely. "Perhaps she has too many accidents? I've never understood the claims of people who say they can't cook. Logically we should all be equally capable of the same basic dishes. But I suppose we'll find out if that's true with you."

Yuki blinked at him. "If you insist."

And that was the way it went.

Yuki was predictably so-so at cooking. Her efforts, at least, appeared better than Kyon's. Kyon's, however, consistently tasted better.

"This is the mysterious thing about cooking," Kyon sighed. "You can't follow the recipe so exactly, Yuki. You need to think about what you want to eat, or at least what your guests want to eat."

"I have no preference. And I do not have guests."

Kyon racked his memory. "We visited you ... three years ago, I think, during the Tanabata paradox incident." And who's to say I won't just want to come over some day?

"True. However, you have not visited since, and also, your visits required no more than tea."

Now he remembered. Kyon did not like to remember that tea. It had been ... rather weak, at first, and soon after, much too strong. Kyon objected. "Anyway, Yuki, you aren't a time traveler like Mikuru. You can't know what will happen in the future."

"I can predict the future based on past patterns and data." This was the closest Yuki ever came to arguing with him.

Kyon ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "There is a difference between anticipation and prediction, Yuki."

Yuki's expression didn't change, but her shoulders hitched up slightly.

"Right, right. So you can't tell the difference. Here it is. Prediction is based on numbers, directions, patterns. Anticipation is also based on patterns, but on patterns of behavior, habit, preference, and context. For example ... you know that Mikuru consistently makes one cup of tea for every member of the Brigade on a given school day. Thus, tomorrow Mikuru will also make one cup of tea for every member who arrives. That is prediction. Anticipation is this:— You observed on the television today that tomorrow, it will be sunny. Haruhi will want to go outside. Mikuru will not have time to make tea, and Kyon and Itsuki will not want to drink hot tea on a hot day. Haruhi will want something cool to eat, and she will take the Brigade to her favorite ice-cream shop as she has done many times in the past. Since it is sunny tomorrow, we anticipate that every member of the brigade will not drink tea, but they may eat ice-cream."

Yuki shook her head.

"Obviously my example was inconsequential and I extrapolated more than necessary—usually anticipation doesn't take that many steps into account to draw a conclusion about the near future—but you can still see that in many ways, anticipation can be more accurate than prediction," Kyon added. "Because it takes the circumstances into account."

After a moment, Yuki inclined her head in agreement. "Yes."

"I'm sure you can learn to do it, Yuki. But you need practice. And experience." He steepled his fingers over the bridge of his nose and thought. Experimental subjects. Oh yes, his sister. She had good taste in food, and unfortunately or not, she was quite frank about it. In this case he would need her bluntness. Kyon's mother would be able to help a little, too, although she wouldn't be as blunt; she was more likely to tactfully give Yuki gentle suggestions about how to make the meal better. As for Kyon himself, he couldn't identify the problem with her cooking. It could be a general lack of spices, or perhaps not cooking the food too much or not enough, and he couldn't tell.

"So here's what we'll do, Yuki. You practice making the perfect meal on my family. Mom would love help in the kitchen, I think, and you can use us to gauge reactions. Eventually, you'll make something that appeals to all of them and makes them praise you sincerely." It would also, of course, give me an easy way to keep an eye on you.

Yuki nodded.

"All right."

The plan worked. Kyon's mother was surprised but enthusiastic about the enterprise, and she took Yuki under her wing in the kitchen. Kyon had often caught her looking at them—Kyon and Yuki—together, but she never said anything. Nevertheless, Kyon thought she might have sensed a deeper connection than they were showing at the dinner table.

The first time they had dinner, Kyon's mother headed the conversation and started off with questions.

"Do you have any family, Yuki-chan?"

"No."

"Who takes care of you, then?"

"..." Yuki took some time to think. "The government, I suppose."

Kyon was relieved by her answer. The Data Overmind would be too hard to explain. He supposed he ought to stop second-guessing her. Yuki had shown time and time again in various contexts that she could handle interactions with people who could not be introduced to the truth.

Kyon's mother got a very closed and tight look as she passed the broccoli, and Kyon knew that she would have words with him later for not telling her about the situation beforehand, but she didn't pursue that line of questioning any further. "You're always welcome here, Yuki-chan. Please come again," she said, and that was the last time she spoke of it.

"What are your interests?"

"Literature and computers," Kyon answered for Yuki, when she took too long to answer. Yuki wasn't used to talking in the middle of eating.

"I was asking Yuki, darling," Kyon's mother reproved him. "Is that so, Yuki?"

"Kyon speaks the truth."

"Yes, he usually does, but I'd like to hear a bit more from you. What do you like about them?"

And to Kyon's surprise, that was all it took to get Yuki to open up.

"I like reading because I like the smell of the book and the feel of the pages against my fingers. It is an enjoyable way to spend my time. Time flows faster with a book in my hands."

The words sounded so innocent, but suddenly Kyon was horrified. Damn Haruhi's stupid endless summer.

Yuki continued, "I like analyzing the puns in the names, and predicting what happens next in the plot. There are so many possibilities. I try to understand what the people in the stories feel. It is difficult. And there are no images in movies or anime or manga that can rival the pictures words create in the mind," said Yuki. "It is also interesting to think of what other people might see as they read. As for computers, they are also interesting. They are very logical and I have always been good with them. It's a challenge to push them to the very forefront of their capabilities and work within their limitations."

"Well," said Kyon's mother, "Have you ever considered a career in programming?"

Yuki turned to Kyon and blinked at him slowly.

What did she want from him? Kyon wondered.

Yuki turned back to Kyon's mother. "Yes."

Kyon bit his lip. Would the Data Overmind allow that?

Yuki turned to him again. "It will be all right," she said quietly, so quietly that Kyon's mother couldn't hear, and the conversation went on.

Kyon still felt anxious.

The phone rang.

"Kyon. Kyon."

"Moshimoshi? Wait, Yuki, what?"

"I remembered what the Data Overmind decided."

"What..."

"It decided to prepare for the worst-case scenario. That all gigalomaniacs have the potential to become like Haruhi Suzumiya."

"Oh no..."

"I do not know what the Data Overmind going to do."

"I know. You've been disconnected."

"Even if we convince the Data Overmind that it has made the wrong judgment, it will not restore my unit to full function. It made that quite clear."

"It would be pointless to assume otherwise, wouldn't it."

"Hai. Yes."

"Yuki! Yuki!" Haruhi barreled down the hall (Kyon hastily stepped out of Haruhi's way) and she threw herself around Yuki's shoulders. Yuki stood rigidly and endured the manhandling. Haruhi pulled back abruptly. "You're all right? You're okay? We were so worried! Kyon told us that you had been anemic and that you fainted! Yuki, you simply must eat more red meat! I insist!" Haruhi buried Yuki in another crushing hug.

Kyon coughed and murmured, "So after I had that accident shortly before Christmas, you make me pay for the club's meals and attend lame parties, and then you turn around and act all sweet to Yuki?"

Haruhi let go of Yuki and rounded on him, glaring. "That was entirely different! You fell down the stairs!"

Kyon arched an eyebrow. "We both lost consciousness."

Haruhi scowled. "You just needed to be more careful. Yuki never knew what hit her."

Kyon clicked his tongue and shrugged, but he went quiet, because a double standard was a double standard and nothing would change Haruhi's mind.

Mikuru hopped up to them both, looking shy. A silent Takumi Nishijou followed a little ways behind her, as if he was her shadow; he didn't feel like he knew Yuki well enough to be able to say anything. "Are you okay, Yuki?" Mikuru asked.

"Just fine," Yuki answered.

"Really truly?"

"Yes."

"Yokatta," Mikuru sighed. "Thank goodness. Don't work yourself too hard, okay, ne?"

Yuki inclined her head in a slight nod.

Itsuki came up behind them and rested one hand on Yuki's shoulder, and squeezed. Yuki looked up at them.

"Try not to worry us again, ne?" said Itsuki softly, and smiled. "Or better yet, tell us when you are in need."

Yuki bowed to him slightly. "That was my intention all along. But it seems I was too late."

Itsuki withdrew his hand gravely. "Please make it a higher priority."

"I have done so."

"Thank you."

Haruhi was staring at the two of them somewhat worriedly. "Um, guys?" They looked back at her. Haruhi folded her arms, a little preoccupied. "Yuki, we need some help brainstorming, so let's all go back to the club room, okay? Okaerimashou, ne." She turned and led the way back to the clubroom, and the group followed her lead. Haruhi opened the door, they all trooped through, and the door clicked shut.

After club, Kyon tapped Itsuki's shoulder, and they followed Yuki out into the courtyard to talk, where Yuki sat in the sun.

"Itsuki, there's been a problem with one of the factions observing Haruhi Suzumiya. Yuki, can you explain the situation?"

Yuki did so in her usual quiet, clipped voice.

Itsuki bowed his head. "So, I'm guessing, you need me to prove that the minor gigalomaniacs are different from Suzumiya."

Kyon and Yuki nodded.

Itsuki sighed. "I'll see what I can do. This may take more collaboration than you think, however. Asahina-san, for instance, might be invaluable. We need to ask her if she can request certain restrictions from her higher-ups in the future society to be taken away so that she can better help."

"Do you think the situation warrants it?" asked Kyon. "It sounds like kicking the hornet's nest to me. The Data Overmind is in turmoil over what we discovered, and I thought it would be the most stable of the entities we had to deal with. What if the future society ties itself up in knots over the issue?"

"They might have data that we are not able to access about the minor gigalomaniacs. They have hindsight. Depending on their reaction—whether to divulge or not—that could tell us more about the situation. I would trust them to think before leaping to conclusions." Itsuki's eyes flicked to Yuki. "No offence to the aliens."

Kyon nodded. "Then we'll ask Asahina for assistance."

"Yuki, you may be having a problem with your boss, but that doesn't mean you necessarily have the best means to find the answer to the problem. I think that Kyon would agree when I say that our first priority for you is that you recover your strength and find out exactly what you can accomplish without the Data Overmind's support," Itsuki said gently, and Kyon nodded his support.

"I humbly request that I be allowed to come with you when you survey the gigalomaniacs," said Yuki. "My methods of data collection may prove useful."

"A valid point," said Kyon. "As long as you don't overtax yourself."

Yuki stirred, perhaps with some annoyance, and said flatly, "It will not happen again."

"Should we talk to Nishijou?" asked Kyon. "For contact with his people?"

"I can follow him again," said Itsuki, although he looked haggard and fatigued. "If we ask to see them, the gigalomaniacs might hide their powers in order to look less like a threat, or simply less strange, in front of strangers. It will interfere with our results less if they do not know that we are following them."

"Not that I have any special attachment to the kid, but I dislike lying to Nishijou," Kyon stated bluntly.

"We won't tell him anything. We'll just follow. He'll never know that we're there."

"That might not last for long. You don't know what can happen, and then the stalking will be hard to explain," Kyon objected. "Anyway, it may not be a lie, but it is deceitful behavior."

"It is worth the risk," Itsuki asserted, "so that we may present our case to the Thought Integration Entity in the most logical way possible, and so that Yuki may not be inconvenienced."

Kyon bowed his head. "Then I agree. I just wanted to point out the drawbacks of the plan."

"Then let's go. We'll talk to everyone and reconvene on Friday?"

"Sounds good. Good work," said Kyon.

"Good luck," they echoed.