Chapter 34: The Enlightenment of Kuyō Suō
"You know, you went just a little overboard with the whole combat training yesterday…" I mentioned to Riku as walked along. It's still winter break and today was more boredom as I waited, both in anticipation and fear, for what Haruhi had planned for the Brigade for New Years. With it being milder today I decided to go for a walk to get some fresh air. As I walked along I couldn't help but note how sore my body was from that sudden combat training. At least now I know Riku has a non-lethal setting. Too bad it still hurts like hell…
"My older sister Luci put me through combat training from hell. Believe me, my sudden attack yesterday doesn't even begin to compare" he responded giving a slight chuckle. Right now I'm debating whether you're a showoff or if you're telling me to stop whining. Let's just go with the latter for obvious reasons…
"So here's a new training exercise for you. Have you spotted the cute black haired girl following us?" he asked without looking. No fair you have a freaking radar thingy in your head. I was about to look around suspiciously when he motioned me to stop. How am I supposed to look without looking? "Don't look for her like that. Make her move so that she moves into your field of view without you having to search for her." I did as he asked and I turned around the nearest corner. With the two of us taking cover in a group of people I spotted who he was talking about. We may as well have been standing in the middle of nowhere.
Riku approached her and asked "You seem to be looking for something. Can I help you with your search?" I thought we were supposed to turn the tables on her by putting her under surveillance?
It took Kuyō a hell of a long time to answer. Let's see…if I remember correctly she's an interface from the Sky Canopy Domain. She doesn't seem used to verbal communication. Even the usually quiet Yuki would look like a really talkative person compared to Kuyō. Finally after what seemed like minutes she replied "You."
"Alright, let's cut to the chase. It obviously takes you some time to answer back so why don't we sit down for now" he said to her as he gestured for us all to sit on a snow covered bench. He cleared away the snow before motioning Kuyō to sit on the cleared bench. What the hell? She gets better treatment than I do and she's the enemy! He probably saw the 'what the hell?' expression on my face as he pointed to a section of the bench cleared for me. Fine, I'm sorry, I take it back…
"Does Sasaki even agree to Kyoko's plan? It's been almost six months and she still doesn't believe you all are what you say you are" he asked Kuyō. She took another one of her long response times.
Finally she replied "She doesn't understand Kyoko's ideas. She believes it to be all a game." A game? If her group is so open to her about what they really are, how can she ignore the evidence before her? She's even more grounded to reality than Agent Scully!
"Considering you're an interface it shouldn't be too difficult for you to track how often she tries to communicate with Kyon. If it isn't beyond your limitations would you be able to tell me how often she tries to talk to Kyon?" he asked her more in a way someone asks for favours rather than ordering them. You really expect to get an answer from her? She's not gonna give away sensitive info-
In record time, she responded within seconds "Often. Number of replies: Zero." Well at least she's able to quantify in ways we can understand. Riku just burst into a fit of laughter. I could see a genuine look of confusion on Kuyō's face. Hell if I'm confused, I'm not surprised she is. He's gonna have to give us an explanation for another of his Tsuruya-esque laughing fits.
"Oh man! If she did that to anyone but Kyon, she'd be almost instantaneously labelled a stalker! Her logic is so rigid, it's predictable. She's used to deconstructing ideas and concepts to the point where she thinks her emotions are a product of fiction. I doubt she even realizes that Kyon is the way he is now probably because he wanted to fit her ideals. I wouldn't be surprised if his sister said 'she was the one who took away his smile'. And can you blame her? He gave up dreams and aspirations to settle for pragmatism. Such things are necessary for any sentient being to have some level of happiness" he explained to Kuyō and I guess to some extent me. She still seemed too preoccupied trying to understand such abstract concepts.
"So you're saying he's the Knight of Snark because of her? He gave up his own happiness just to impress one girl who doesn't even understand the concept of love because she thinks it's a fictional construct. Hell, then I'm glad he likes Haruhi then. She might be weird and overbearing but at least she isn't trying to mold him into her ideal person" I replied offering my opinion. I'm glad he explained the situation. I doubt I would've been able to understand that. I changed for Saki because I knew it was for the best. For my own happiness as much as hers.
Our little moment was broken up as Sasaki and the Anti-Brigade waltzed on up. Sasaki didn't seem to mind Kuyō being with us but the other two did. Kyoko was definitely worried. Fujiwara just seemed pissed off. Finally breaking the silence Sasaki said "Oh I see you've made some new friends Kuyō. Have they been treating you well?"
"Yes, they were elaborating upon some concepts I've had some difficulties understanding" she responded, nearly immediately. That's weird she doesn't respond or talk nearly this fast. Did Riku do something to her?
"That's nice of them to help you with your schoolwork. I thought that Haruhi's group did not look so well upon our group because of the game Kyon is playing with them" Sasaki replied giving a friendly smile.
"It wasn't schoolwork. It's something I simply didn't understand. Love still is a difficult concept for me to explain. Although I'm certain that's the way I feel towards Kyon" she said to correct Sasaki. The three of them just looked at her like she had just solved the mystery of life.
"Love? Don't give me that load of crap! You're a machine. What can you possibly understand about human emotions, much less something as complicated as love?" mocked Fujiwara. He looked as if he was about to mock her further before Sasaki shot him a scolding look. Yeah, take that you sneering bastard!
"You could've just asked me about such things Kuyō" Sasaki said to her.
"From what Riku has told me you are not the best source for such information" she replied. Sasaki kept on smiling but I'm sure that must've struck a nerve. "You would have deconstructed such a concept in a way I could understand. However in doing so you would be taking away from its meaning. It's a concept that is built, not taken apart, together by two people who have grown close" she finished. I saw Sasaki's façade falter momentarily, revealing her anger. The quiet ones pack the hardest punch indeed. And then as if to add insult to injury "I wish to build that concept together with Kyon."
"I'm not sure how he explained it but I can assure you that is not the case" replied Sasaki. If the hint of frustration in her voice is anything to go by, she doesn't have a reasonable retort to Riku.
Riku got up and stood between Kuyō and Sasaki's group. I'm sure to them he must be one of the most intimidating people they have ever encountered. All made more by the fact that Riku has dropped his usual smile that he has when he's happily talking with the Brigade and others. Now it was replaced with a look of scorn and anger.
"I don't think that someone who failed so badly in their attempt to get someone to fall for them should be criticizing Kuyō. In fact you achieved the opposite of love with Kyon. You instilled the melancholy and boredom of life in him. How hot the inferno of jealousy must burn in you. He won't even spare you a moment of his time, someone who 'helped' him. And yet he spends much of his time with Haruhi, someone who is a great 'stressor' in his life. I think someone as intelligent as you should be able to recognize what the situation is" he said to her. Is he defending Kuyō?
"You think you can just look down on us, huh?" yelled out Fujiwara.
"Be silent or I shall relish having to silence you permanently. The others in your group are more than capable of redeeming themselves. You, on the other hand, seethe with malevolent intent. You should be happy I haven't hung you by your entrails and have your corpse paraded through the city for your criminal trespasses against the Brigade" barked Riku. Damn that shut up that sneering bastard good. Hell that'd shut anybody up.
Sasaki and Kyoko just looked at him with utter fear. Taking her by her hand, Sasaki took Kuyō back amongst their ranks. She didn't seem to be scared of him though. As their group retreated, Kuyō turned around. "Regardless of what the others think, thank you. You're gift and insight has bettered my understanding of my…feelings" she said as she bowed and followed her group. Why do I feel like we just let the lamb go with a pack of wolves?
"What exactly did she mean by gift?" I asked Riku.
"I vastly improved her insufficient verbal-linguistics data. It's improved her vocabulary, grammar and response time. I also gave her the ability to be able to process information in a way a human would, emotions included" replied Rika. Wait, Rika? But…that's obviously Riku standing beside me…"You see Riku and I are essentially the same person. Think of it as two sides of the same coin. Though we can both exist separately of each other, we can also exist as one in each other's body. Thanks to that I can use Ciel's Rewrite power from Riku's body."
"Do you think Kuyō will be alright? I don't feel so great about letting her go back with them…" I said voicing my opinion.
"She'll be fine. For now. I didn't give her that gift just so she could better communicate and understand everyone around her. I gave it so she can act independently of the Sky Canopy Domain or any other party that would otherwise string her along. In fact it was Riku who suggested it. He seems quite adamant about letting people have their own will" she replied.
I gave a small laugh as I said "I'm sure Kyon will be wondering why Kuyō has taken such an interest in him."
"Indeed. Anyhow I have to get going now, Haruki's calling me. I hope we can see each other again soon. Preferably in better circumstances. You still owe me a date by the way" she said waving good bye. Somehow that didn't sound disturbing in the least considering it was coming from Riku's body.
"If the enemies' relationship is strained then you only need to plant that one seed of doubt to break them apart" commented Riku. Did he just combine a heart-warming moment with guile? So even he had his own agenda…"Don't get me wrong. I want her to be happy. I just hope I can inspire enough that she'll be willing to rebel against them if necessary…"
Well if you can give a monotonous machine the ability to feel and think like a human within the span of an hour, then I'm sure she'll fight for her own individuality.