DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB IN ANYWAY SHAPE OR FORM
"Haruhi! Please let go!" Tamaki pleaded.
"I can't, it's stuck because of the dye!"Haruhi insisted, "we're just going to have to cut it off. Does anybody have a pair of scissor?"
"We might," Hikaru and Kaoru said together.
"Please don't," Kyoya said, "he won't shut up about it for months on in."
"Fine," the twins reluctantly accepted.
"Thank you," Kyoya said. Then he noticed Haruhi looking back at the two looking a little upset.
"I didn't realize you two could talk in such perfect unison," she muttered softly, "didn't think you've gotten so close."
"Oh," Hikaru said as he looked at Kaoru concerned, "that was just a slip of the tongue."
"Right sure," Haruhi said. She looked away, only to noticed the scepter on the table where Mori had left it.
"What happened to the scepter? Or is this just another one?" she asked.
"Was it a different color before?" Kyoya asked.
"Uh yeah, the one I remember was blue with a white handle," Haruhi said.
"Was it?" Kyoha said as he flipped back through some his notes.
'Yes, that was the color the first alternate Haruhi said her scepter was,' he thought. 'I wonder if this is a clue on how to get our Haruhi back to normal as it were.'
"Where is ours Hikaru?" Haruhi asked.
"Uh,' Hikaru sputtered.
"It's being analyzed at the moment," Kyoya said, "finding out what you want to know about it."
"Oh, okay," Haruhi said, "it's crazy to think there's more than one. What has Mr. Otori, oh excuse this guy," she pointed her thumb at Kyoya, "found out about it?"
"Just a lot of myths and legends regarding it and the supposed powers behind it," Kyoya explained.
"Like what? Like is it something like Excalibur that if you find or do something with it you're king or something like that?"
"Well, not exactly," Kyoya said.
"Kyoya-Senpai, maybe we should just tell her the truth," Kaoru spoke up, "I mean she might be able to handle it."
"Handle what? What happened?" Haruhi asked.
"You might be right, she does appear to act as though she's in a more modern age like us, unlike the last one," Kyoya agreed.
"Last one? Last one what?" Haruhi asked.
"Let me tell her, she thinks I'm her brother after all," Hikaru offered.
"Think? What? Is still that joke you're trying to pull?!" Haruhi demanded to know.
"No, sorry Haruhi, but this is one time when we're not joking around," Hikaru admitted reluctantly. He took Haruhi by the hand and led her over to a corner to talk in private.
"Aren't you going to help Kao-Chan?" Hunny asked.
"No, this is something Hikaru has to do on his own," Kaoru said as he watched his brother and Haruhi talking.
Hikaru and Haruhi walked behind Kyoya in mostly silence. Although both kept glancing at one another, out of concern and confusion.
"I assure you two, you're not on trouble," Kyoya finally spoke up as they came to his office. "This time anyway."
Hikaru sent Haruhi a smirk at Kyoya's last comment.
"Have a seat," Kyoya instructed. Hikaru and Haruhi quickly sat in the two empty chairs. Kyoya sat at his computer desk where Haruhi saw the scepter laying on his desk.
He looked straight at Haruhi with little concerned look.
"I was told by Mr. Haninozuka that you hit your head with this scepter you brought Miss Hitachiin," he began, "is that true?"
"Uh yes, but it was an accident," Haruhi said.
"Oh I have no doubt," Kyoya continued, "I'm more concerned about how you've been feeling since then. Are you feeling lost or confused by anything?"
Haruhi was speechless for a second.
'What's he going on about?' she thought.
"Like what? What do you mean?" she asked with caution.
"Do you feel out of place as it were?" Kyoya asked, "do you feel like you don't belong here?"
"You have been acting a little weird since that thing hit you," Hikaru mentioned.
"Well, I guess you could say that I feel a little off since being hit," Haruhi admitted.
"Like what for example? Do you feel as though you're in a different place or world?"Kyoya continued to ask, "and please be honest. I need the truth if I am to help."
"Help with what?" Hikaru asked.
"Well," Haruhi took a deep breath, "I guess you could say I feel like I'm in a different place. I don't remember anything about this place or my life."
"What do you recall then? What is your grasp of reality?" Kyoya asked.
"Well, I remember being a commoner here on scholarship, studying to be a lawyer. I remember having a widowed father Ranka. And more importantly I remember you and many of my teachers being high school students and," Haruhi looked at Hikaru a little hesitant, "and Hikaru's twin is Kaoru."
"Kaoru?" Hikaru said in shock, "Kaoru's my twin?!" He looked bewildered by the whole thing. "Has she gone crazy or something Mr. Otori?"
"No, I assure you she has not," Kyoya said as he turned to his computer and typed on the keyboard, "I think she's completely right. You see this scepter is what you would call an observer's pole. A device that when struck on a person will take that person to a new reality where they can see how their life would have been like had circumstances been different."
"Wha, what are you saying?" Hikaru asked alarmed, "are are you saying that this isn't really my sister?!"
"No Mr. Hitachiin, this is still your sister," Kyoya assured him, "it's just, if she's thinking and feeling the way she is it could be she's currently experiencing the life of a different version of herself while that different version is here experiencing her life."
Hikaru still looked at Haruhi confused.
"So, Haruhi, my Haruhi, my sister, she's in some kind of alternate reality?"
"In a way yes," Kyoya continued to explained.
"Well how do we get her back?!" Hikaru demanded to know. "I mean no offence to you, whoever you are, but you're kind of boring with nice girl attitude!"
"None taken," Haruhi assured him, "actually, the Hikaru I know would probably agree with you, that my calm normal attitude can get boring."
"Really?" Hikaru said in surprised.
"Oh yes, you are very similar to the Hikaru from my reality," Haruhi told him.
"Really?" Hikaru said, stroking his chin in thought.
"It would appear as though some traits are present no matter what world you may live in," Kyoya mentioned.
"I dare say, he certainly was like this in the first reality I was in," Haruhi suddenly said.
"First reality?" Hikaru asked in shock.
"How many realities have you been in so far, Haruhi?" Kyoya asked.
"Well the first was where it was a simple role reverse from what I was used to. I was from a rich family while all my friends were from commoner families. The second one, that was a big change. I was a warlord of some kind fighting against Hikaru and Kaoru. And they were still brothers and trouble makers," Haruhi said.
"Seriously? Kaoru and I are brothers in different worlds?" Hikaru asked.
"This is the first time I've seen where you're not related at all," Haruhi said.
"That just sounds weird though," Hikaru said.
"I'm sure my version of Hikaru and Kaoru would find it weird that there's a world where they're not related. They're very close in my reality. A little too close sometimes," Haruhi said.
"Huh?" Hikaru said.
"They like to toy with the idea of twinseist," Haruhi admitted.
Hikaru's eyes widen.
"You mean, the me from your world, wants bang his twin brother?!"
"Well...," Haruhi muttered, not sure what to really say.
"Oh my god!" Hiakru said, "I mean I know I have the hots for Kaoru here but at least we're not related by blood!"
"And yet your feelings for your sister here?" Kyoya spoke up.
"What?" Haruhi said confused.
Hikaru looked away in embarrassment.
"It's mostly just for jokes," he muttered. He cast a glance at Haruhi, "and to, hide my frustration if competing with her over Kaoru."
Haruhi was surprised that Hikaru would admit to that.
"Anyway, I'm sure you can save this for a councillor," Kyoay interrupted, "what we're here to discuss is how to send the Haruhi currently here back to her own reality and to bring the right Haruhi back."
"Do you have a way?" Haruhi asked a little eager.
"Possibly," Kyoya said, "what color was the scepter you remember seeing in the world you first remember, your real reality as it were."
"Red diamond and a golden handle," Haruhi said.
"Hmm, that might not help circumstances," Kyoya said, "according to my research, you and the counterpart currently occupying your body must be struck by scepters that are identical in order to have a chance to be returning to your original world."
"So that why I haven't been able to return to home?" Haruhi asked, a little discouraged.
"Most likely yes," Kyoya admitted, "and unfortunately you'll have to wait at least until tomorrow before we can even try sending you to a new world. One that'll hopefully send you to a place that'll have a scepter that matches yours that'll give you a chance to get home."
"Yeah I heard about having to wait 24hrs or something like that before I could try using the scepter again," Haruhi mentioned.
"So she's stuck like this for a day before we can try and get her back and my sister's attitude back, or something like that?" Hikaru asked.
"Yes," Kyoya confirmed, "at least that's what I suggest less we risk giving your sister's body brain damage or other injuries."
Hikaru looked at Haruhi unsure.
"Okay," he reluctantly agreed, "how are we going to explain her change in attitude though? Already people are noticing, especially Kaoru."
"I would imagine that you can simply pass it off as she's having a slight off day and or, just a little hurt from getting hit on the head," Kyoya suggested, "come see me tomorrow before you make any attempts to hit your sister with the scepter again Mr. Hitachiin. Just in case I find out more about it in general."
"Yes Mr. Otori," Hikaru said as he and Haruhi both stood and walked out.
"Oh and one more thing," Kyoya spoke up, "you'll get a pass this time but please stop adding false pages to the history books about certain events in history."
"Hey it's not our fault if our classmates won't fact check stuff and believe everything in fine print," Hikaru insisted.
"I suppose you're right in your own way," Kyoya reluctantly agreed, "I would hope most students would know there's no such place as Youreadummy and that their English teacher wasn't a descendant of its royal family."
"Yeah, especially Mr. Suoh himself," Hikaru said trying not to laugh.
"Yes,' Kyoya muttered, "now back to his royal highness of Youreadummy's class. I'll see you later."
"Thanks again Mr. Otori," Haruhi said as they left the classroom.
She and Hikaru walked out in silence.
Haruhi noticed Hikaru looked mighty upset as they walked.
"Hikaru, I know you're upset, about me and your sister, but I'm sure you'll get her back," she tried to say in comfort.
"Yeah, I know," Hikaru muttered.
Haruhi bit her lip. She was certain her Hikaru would be feeling and acting the same way had something happened to Kaoru in a similar way.
"Hey Hikaru?" she asked, "can I ask you about our family while I'm here?"
"Sure, I guess," Hikaru allowed, "what do you want to know?"
"Well, for starters, who are our parents?" Haruhi asked.
"Oh, Yuzuha and Ranka Hitachiin, the famous fashion designer and model couple," Hikaru said.
"Yuzuha's my mother?!" Haruhi said in shock.
"Yeah, why is she not where you come from?" Hikaru asked.
"No, my mother's name is Kotoko," Haruhi said softly.
"Like Kaoru's mom?" Hikaru asked.
"Kaoru's mom!" Haruhi again said in shock.
"Yeah, and his dad's Hayato, Hayato Fujioka," Hikaru explained.
"That's so weird, how our parents are all mixed up in this world," Haruhi said to herself. Then a thought accrued to her.
"What's she like, Kaoru's mom, Kotoko?" she quickly asked eagerly.
"I don't know," Hikaru admitted, "we never knew her. She died when Kaoru was little, way before we met him."
"You mean she's dead here too?" Haruhi said, a little disappointed. It might have been nice to have seen her mother again, even if it was technically a different version of her.
Kaoru kept watching his brother and Haruhi talking, easily seeing Haruhi's body language expressing her shock and disbelief of what was being told to her.
Finally, after what felt like hours, both slowly walked back to the group.
"So, I'm really in some sort of alternate reality here?" Haruhi asked softly.
"Yes, that's a way to describe it," Kyoya said.
"That's so weird," Haruhi said. She looked at Hikaru with a mix of sadness, confusion and a little anger.
"And we're not brother and sister here," she said annoyed, "Kaoru's your brother instead."
"Yeah, afraid so," Hikaru admitted.
"And you just stood there and let me kiss you!" Haruhi snapped at Kaoru.
"Uh, well," Kaoru sputtered.
"Are we a couple here or something?" Haruhi asked.
"Not exactly," Kaoru confessed, embarrassed.
"Pervert," Haruhi said. Though Kaoru could see a smirk on her face.
"So, anyway, how do I get back to my normal life? My twin brother?" she started to ask.
"That we're not 100% sure of yet," Kyoya said, "at most we know that hitting you on the head makes you apparently switch personalities with another version of you. And we have to wait for at least 24hrs before it'll work again."
"So, I'm supposed to be stuck here until at least tomorrow?" Haruhi asked.
"That appears to be the most likely scenario," Kyoya said.
"Oh, great! I love the idea of being stuck in a world where my brother isn't my brother, my mother isn't my mother, the woman who is apparently my mother is dead! And...,"
Haruhi looked over at Kaoru with a long face.
"And the guy I've fallen for isn't the same guy. And I don't even know if he likes me that way or not."
"Oh, Haruhi, I...," Kaoru sputtered.
Haruhi walked over to him and wrap her arms around him.
"Do you think you could ever grow to love me?" she whispered.
'Wait a minute,' Kaoru thought.
"Yes, I could so grow to love you. Even to the point of marriage!" he said, "in fact, why don't we do that right now!"
"You mean it?" Haruhi said, "complete with a honeymoon in Atami?"
"I'll book us a reservation right now," Kaoru said.
"WHAT?!" Tamaki shouted, "NOOOOOO!"
He ran over to the pair and pulled them apart.
"Listen Haruhi! I know you're not our real Haruhi, but I'm still going to be your daddy!"
"What?" Haruhi said.
"And as such!" Tamaki turned and looked at Kaoru mad. "I forbid you to marry that devil!"
Haruhi looked behind her Hikaru confused.
"Daddy?" she whispered.
"He has some sort of daddy complex with you," Hikaru whispered back
"Are you kidding me?" Haruhi said out loud as she pushed Tamaki away. "You're joking right? You're not even close to being old enough to be my father! At least my Mr. Suoh was an adult and my teacher! You're like what, a year older than me?" She shook her head in confusion.
"Would I be correct in assuming that the Tamaki in your world has a sort of daddy complex in your world too?" Kyoya asked.
"Something like that," Haruhi said, "Just because he's the current chairman, and the host club's advisor, he sees himself as sort of a second father to all the students or something."
"You have a host club in your world?" Hikaru asked.
"And a hostess club," Haruhi added, "Mr. Suoh's fiancee is its advisor. She's pretty cool."
"And who is his fiancee?" Kyoya asked, "just out of curiosity?"
"Oh Eclair Tonnerre, our French teacher," Haruhi said like it was nothing.
"Eclair?" the hosts all said together.
Haruhi looked around confused.
"Yeah," she said slowly, "why? What she like here?"
"A little complicated to say the least," Hikaru and Kaoru said together.
"I don't know if I like the way you two can talk so well together in unison like that," Haruhi pouted.
"I'm really engaged to Eclair Tonnerre?" Tamaki sputtered, scratching his head.
"Yes, and she's certainly not "complicated" in my world. She's a good teacher and advisor. She's taught us a lot about etiquette and world-worth. She helped us show us how we can be housewives if we wish or be a woman in the work force. And even how to combine the two. She's the one who encouraged me to pursue a career in law."
"Really? She did that?" Tamaki asked in surprise.
Haruhi nodded, "When Kaoru, my Kaoru, told me about his mother and what a hard working lawyer she was, it inspired me. I wanted to be a little like her, rather than get swept up in my family's fashion business. I always kind of felt that working in fashion wasn't for me. And Miss Tonnerre helped me to realize I could try a different path. My parents actually seemed happy that I found something else I could be happy with and have been good friends with Miss Tonnerre since." Haruhi gave a sad sigh.
"I was even going to be a bridesmaid in her wedding to Mr. Suoh. I just hope I can get back home before it happens so I can see the wedding. I'd hate to miss it just because I'm stuck in some stupid alternate reality."
"Don't worry Haru-Chan! We'll get you back in time!" Hunny promised gripping her hand.
"Thanks Mr. Haninozuka," Haruhi said.
"You can just call me Hunny here," he insisted.
"Hmm," Haruhi muttered, "I don't know if I'd feel comfortable with that, even if you are a kid close to my age."
"Just call us whatever you feel like if it makes you comfortable," Kyoya said.
"Thanks, I guess," Haruhi muttered as she started to rest her head on her hand, "so is there anything else I need to know? This is getting boring."
"Yeah it is, isn't it," Hikaru and Kaoru agreed.
'She certainly does act like the two of them,' Kyoya thought.
"I suppose there nothing else we can do at this point," he said out loud.
"What should I do in the meantime then?" Haruhi asked.
Hikaru and Kaoru both looked at each other.
"I guess the best option would be," Hikaru started.
"For Haruhi to come stay with us for the time being," Kaoru finished.
"What?!" Tamaki said.
"That probably would be best," Haruhi agreed.
"Haruhi!" Tamaki whined.
"Very well then," Kyoya said calmly.
"It might be interesting to see what your house looks like compared to mine," Haruhi said as she walked off with the twins.
"No! Haruhi you can't stay the night in a house with those two!" Tamaki ordered.
The three turned and looked at him. Three evil smirks spread across their faces.
"What? Don't you trust me Mr. Suoh?" Haruhi asked as she pressed her herself up against Kaoru in a suggestive way.
Kaoru wrapped his arms around her, stroking her gently.
"Yeah Mr. Suoh, what ever reason would you give to the idea of Haruhi not spending the night with us?"
Hikaru came up behind Haruhi and pressed up against her, sandwiching her in between him and Kaoru.
"Are you afraid we may do something naughty with her or something?" he too asked.
'Oh brother,' Kyoya thought. He, Hunny and Mori looked at Tamaki who was starting to look red in the face
"You better not do anything scandalous with my daughter!" he shouted mad.
"Oh daddy, please," Haruhi said sarcastically. Then she continued in baby talk, "Don't you trust your little girl?"
Tamaki gulped.
"Adieu," Haruhi, Kaoru and Hikaru all said as they went and disappeared from sight.
"No wait! Haruhi don't go with them!" Tamaki called out in desperation.
"Calm down Tamaki, I'm sure they'll be fine. Although she is not our Haruhi, I have a feeling she can hold her own against the devil twins. She seems fully capable," Kyoya assured him.
He picked up the scepter and looked it over.
"Do you think you're closer to finding out how to get our Haru-Chan back?" Hunny asked.
"Possibly," Kyoya said, "I'm getting closer. I'll help escort Tamaki home and then head back home myself to do more research. Take care, we'll speak tomorrow."
He walked over and grabbed Tamaki by the scruff of his shirt and started to drag him away. "Let's go Moron."
Tamaki didn't do anything to fight it, but instead kept silent as rivers of tears flew down his face.
"Boy that was interesting, huh?" Hunny asked Mori once they were alone.
"Yeah," Mori said..He quickly went to work, gathering up some of the weapons warrior Haruhi had been using to practice with earlier.
"Are you sad that Warrior Haru-Chan's gone?" Hunny asked.
"Mmm," was all Mori would reply.
"I kind of miss her too," Hunny mentioned, "it was cool seeing her fight and practice. She really seemed to know what she was doing."
"Yeah," Mori agreed.
"So, if our Haru-Chan didn't come back after we hit her, do you think Warrior Haru-Chan wasn't set back to her world? But instead she ended up in a different world too?"
Mori paused his work as he pondered what Hunny just said.
"It's possible," he admitted.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Hunny asked honestly.
"Yeah," Mori said confidently with a smile. From what he had learned about the Warrior Haruhi from the short time she had been with them, he had at least figured out that; no matter what, she could take care of herself.
"She'll be fine, regardless," he said in confidence, "and she will make it home. Just like our Haruhi will."
Hunny nodded, feeling less nervous himself.
"I hope she and rich Haru-Chan both make it home and our Haru-Chan comes home soon!"
"Yeah!" Mori said.
He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was happy to have met a warrior version of Haruhi, even if she hadn't been in love with him. It was nice having a version of Haruhi that was like him.
But just the same, he wanted the original Haruhi back just as much as the rest. She was this world Haruhi and this is where she belonged no matter what.
The tension was super thick by the time Haruhi and Hikaru neared their classroom again. Suddenly Kaoru came out, stretching. He smiled when he noticed his two friends had returned.
"Hey, how'd it go? Did Mr. Otori need to talk about those extra pages you added to the history books?" he asked.
"Not exactly," Hikaru muttered.
"What, what happened?" Kaoru asked starting to act nervous about how hostile Hikaru was acting.
Haruhi breathed a heavy sigh.
"Should we tell him?" she whispered.
"Sure," Hikaru agreed. He gestured for Kaoru to follow him.
"Is it bad?" Kaoru asked.
"Kind of," Haruhi said.
"And it's going to be hard to believe," Hikaru said as they came to a private corner. He looked at Haruhi before he started to explain the whole situation to Kaoru.
At first Kaoru listened with an understanding smile, but slowly his smile vanished all together and instead looked scared and confused. It reminded Haruhi of how Hikaru had taken the explanation.
The two really were so much alike even when they weren't related, especially as brothers.
"So she's not really Haruhi?" Kaoru asked alarmed.
"Yes, she is, but just a different version of her," Hikaru explained.
"Not a very fun one," Kaoru mentioned a sneer.
"That's exactly what I thought," Hikaru said.
"Hey now!" Haruhi scolded, "this isn't exactly an ideal situation for me! Especially since this is the third place I've been to since my versions of you got me into this mess!"
"The version where we're twins?" Kaoru asked looking at Hikaru confused.
"You've always been twins," Haruhi insisted, "this is the first time I've seen you not be twins! But even now you're so similar, it's crazy!"
"Wow really?" Kaoru asked, "I wonder if that's why we're so attractive to each other."
Hikaru just looked down annoyed.
"I don't know," he said, "I just want my sister, the sister I know, back. Even if this one wasn't so boring, it just isn't the same without my sister's real personality here."
"Sorry Hikaru," Haruhi said, "hopefully you'll get her back a lot sooner than I've been able to get back to my reality."
"Yeah, sure," Hikaru muttered.
"Anyway," Kaoru spoke up, "I think it's time we return back to class. You know how Mr. Haninozuka is when we're late."
"Yeah, we have to try and act normal until we can try getting Haruhi back," Hikaru said still downtrodden.
"Let's go," Kaoru quickly said as he pulled Haruhi along and Hikaru lagged behind.
"So what's Mr. Haninozuka like back in your world?" Kaoru asked casually as he and Haruhi walked side by side.
"Well you're not going to believe this but in my world he's a teenager just two years older than myself and you guys," Haruhi said.
"No way! Hunny's a teenager!" Kaoru said in shock. "What else?"
"I'll tell you some more when we have a better chance to talk in private," Haruhi suggested.
"Oh, right," Kaoru realized, "don't want to have anyone else in on this secret. Though it might be kind of interesting to see how people react to a different you. It's been a little interesting so far, even when we didn't know what was going on."
Hikaru watched the two talking so casually in front of him, as though nothing had changed between the two of them. It made him feel slightly jealous.
'Kaoru seems to like Haruhi no matter what,' he thought bitterly. 'I wonder if it's because she's the one he truly wants to be with. I'm not sure what I hate more. Him with her or her with him!'