A/N: Thank you to all of you for all the constructive criticism, and thanks for reading up to this point. I appreciate it. :P
Chapter 6
"So, what exactly are you going to do with Haruhi's powers?" I asked.
"I will conduct an advanced form of data manipulation in this case. Do you recall when I reconstructed the classroom after Asakura struck?"
Oh yeah. How could I ever forget you doing that? I mean, we were in some strange sort of warped dimension, since, according to Asakura Ryouko, that room was under her data jurisdiction. That meant that she could manipulate and reprogram reality in the entirety of that classroom.
What Nagato did was to fully reverse the effects of Asakura's programming; she restored the classroom to its former state, untarnished and as ordinary as any other classroom that you could find in North High.
"Yeah, I remember. What does it have to do with your plan?" I inquired.
"The data manipulation I performed back then was a very simple and basic form of manipulation. It merely involved reversing Asakura's programming," replied Nagato.
"Okay. So.. What's your point?"
"To protect us from any adverse effects that may be caused by Haruhi Suzumiya, I am going to attempt to reprogram her perception of reality," she said.
I gaped at her. Reprogram Haruhi's perception of reality? Sure, yeah, she does need to have her sense of realism checked, but reprogramming something that has to do with Haruhi's very perception seemed to require much power.
"So that's why you need to steal some of her powers. You need to create more data to overwrite what she currently perceives, is that correct?" I asked.
"Yes, that is correct. Essentially, once Haruhi Suzumiya's perception of reality has been reprogrammed, she will no longer view you and me being together as a threat," Nagato replied. "Do not worry Kyon. I will only reprogram her perception of our relationship, and nothing else. You have my word."
I felt uncomfortable about this. Haruhi may be an idiot, but I was actually thankful that I met her. If I hadn't met her, I would never have met Asahina-san, Koizumi, and most importantly, Nagato. That was also the reason why I activated the Emergency Escape Program when Nagato changed the world. It was because, no matter how much I grumble, I actually like life with Haruhi Suzumiya. And if her very perception of reality were to be altered greatly, I still wouldn't like it at all.
"Is that so?" I asked.
That felt quite inappropriate. Normally, it would be Nagato who would say those words, but this time, the words flowed from my mouth with a bad tang that seemed to taint the very air in the room.
"Yes. You have my word," said Nagato.
I felt bad for not immediately trusting Nagato. In the wake of her explanation of the plan, I had forgotten that she wouldn't do anything that would upset me anymore.
"I'm sorry," I said.
"Is that so? For what?" she said.
"N-nothing. It's nothing," I said.
She then reached out to touch my face, and said, "Do not worry. You can trust me.. Kyon."
"With my life," I replied.
With that reassurance from Nagato, I instantly felt better about the whole situation.
"So Nagato, when will you proceed with your plan?"
"As soon as possible. Also, there is something that I must do to you for this to fully succeed," said Nagato.
"And what would that be?" I asked.
"I will have to inject you with nanomachines to hinder any remnants of Haruhi Suzumiya's uncontrollable power that may affect the stability of the situation. Do not worry. I programmed these machines myself to only alter Haruhi Suzumiya's view of you and me," said Nagato.
Brrrr. Machines in my body. That thought made me feel very uncomfortable. Once before in my memory, Nagato had injected me with nanomachines to protect me from her future unstable self. That was when the older Asahina-san and I traveled to December 18th of last year, mere minutes before Nagato would change the world. Until my dying day, I wouldn't forget that morning where I almost lost my life.
I had already set my sights on the reborn Nagato. When the older Asahina-san gave me the signal, I went out from the darkness to confront Nagato. Soon, I would have to shoot her with the silver pistol that her past self had given to me. The pistol's needle contained a program. When fired into the reborn Nagato, the needle would restore the space-time continuum to its original state
I stepped out of the darkness and let the bespectacled Nagato see me. When she saw me, an astonished look suddenly appeared on her face.
"Nagato," I said. "You did all of this, right?"
"Why.. Why are you here?" she stammered.
"I was about to ask you the very same question."
"I-I'm taking a walk," she said uneasily.
This was the result of the erroneous files that the Nagato from three years ago had told Asahina-san and I about.
"The erroneous files accumulated in my memory will trigger an anomalous reaction. This cannot be avoided. On December 18th, three years from now, I will reconstruct the world as we know it," the Nagato from three years ago said.
I knew what exactly those erroneous files pertained to. Emotions.
I was troubled now. Did I really prefer the old world to this new world that Nagato had created? If I only wanted the SOS Brigade, then this world would suffice. Haruhi would treat it like any other afterschool club. I now knew why Nagato left my memories untarnished. It was like she was saying, "Which world do you prefer? The new one or the old one?"
In that moment, I knew without a doubt, that I preferred the old world. Nagato, I'm so sorry.
"I still prefer the old world Nagato. This place doesn't suit me at all. I prefer the old you, and besides, I prefer you without glasses," I said.
"W-what on earth are you talking about?" she stammered.
The Nagato I knew would never say anything like that. I tried to reason with her.
"Nagato, please return everything to normal. Whenever you'd need me, I'd be there for you. Haruhi has been quiet lately, so there's no need for such drastic measures, is there?" I pleaded.
Asahina-san then moved to my side and said,
"Kyon-kun, it's useless trying to explain everything to this Nagato-san. Even she has changed. She has become a normal girl without any powers," the older Asahina-san said.
I had to shoot her now with the program or all would be lost.
"I'm sorry," I said.
I lined up the gun's sights on Nagato. She froze on the spot, terrified that this guy might actually shoot her with that thing.
I was about to pull the trigger when Asahina-san screamed.
"Kyon-kun, look out… KYAA!!!"
Something very heavy rammed into my back. I fell onto the ground, and saw a pale girl.
"I can't let you hurt my Nagato-san!"
I focused my bleary eyes on the person and was shocked. Asakura Ryouko.
"What the hell.."
Suddenly, I felt something very cold pierce my midriff. It felt so cold.. How painful.. I'm going to die from this pain..
"Hehehe," giggled Asakura.
I tried to focus on her face. She backed off, then pulled the bloodstained dagger from my abdomen.
Nagato then said, "Asakura-san?"
"Hi Nagato-san. Don't worry, as long as I'm here, I'll protect you from anyone who wants to hurt you. Even if I have to eliminate them," Asakura said. "I became like this for that very purpose. Isn't that what you wanted, Nagato-san?"
You lying bitch. Nagato would never wish for something like that. She's not the sort who would instantly destroy a guitar just because it was out of tune. Apparently, this Asakura was acting abnormally as well.
"As long as you're dead, everything'll be fine. It's your fault for hurting Nagato-san to begin with. It hurts, doesn't it? Enjoy it now, because that's the last thing you'll ever feel," said Asakura maniacally.
She drove the dagger into my heart.
Out of nowhere, a hand intercepted the dagger, gripping it to prevent it from stabbing me.
What the hell? Hold on.. Grabbing a dagger with bare hands.. Where have I seen this before?
"Ehh!?" exclaimed the bespectacled Nagato, sitting on the ground. She was astonished beyond belief.
Asakura screamed.
"Why!? But you're.. Aren't you.. Didn't you want this!?"
I could feel the pain even more now. Holy crap, I'm going to die. I vaguely heard Asahina-san call out my name.
"Kyon-kun, Kyon-kun! No!!"
Suddenly, someone appeared before me, and picked up the pistol that I had dropped on the ground. When he spoke, his voice was very familiar, but I couldn't pick out who exactly it was, due to my near-death state.
"Sorry about that. I had good reasons for not saving you immediately, so please don't get angry at me for it. It hurt for me too you know. Anyway, we'll handle everything. I already know what to do now, and soon, you will as well. So go get some rest now," the voice said.
I then fell unconscious. When I woke up, I was in a hospital ward.
I found out that the one who had saved me from Asakura's death blow was Nagato herself, from the future with respect to December 18th. I also pondered on who the mysterious person was. When I felt better, I immediately knew who it was. Myself. I had saved the world. That meant that I had to go back to that time again to shoot the Nagato who changed everything with the pistol.
A few months after I returned to the old world, I did just that. I had the younger Asahina-san transport Nagato and myself to that date, for me to shoot the Nagato who had just changed the world. Nagato had one request from the younger Asahina-san and myself.
"Please do not say anything at all to the me in that time plane, if it can be avoided," Nagato said.
So Asahina-san transported us to that December 18th, around two minutes before Asakura Ryouko stabbed me. Unfortunately, to keep the flow of time intact, I had to let myself get stabbed. Only then could Nagato step in to prevent the final blow.
We lurked in the shadows, the three of us, waiting for the crucial moment. Suddenly, when the other me was about to shoot the changed Nagato, Asakura hurtled into the scene. She then stabbed the other me in the abdomen with a Swiss army knife. Then the events in my memory occurred, while we could only watch. When Asakura was about to deliver the final blow, that was when Nagato stepped into the fray. She moved lightning fast, as though she had been buffed with Haste, and intercepted the blade.
The reborn Nagato was astonished. She saw a younger Asahina-san, an older Asahina-san, another me, and another her. Who wouldn't be confused if they had seen that?
"W-why?" the reborn Nagato said.
I had to keep my bargain with Nagato. I couldn't talk to her reborn self. I picked up the pistol that fell on the ground, while Nagato continued to stop Asakura from delivering the final blow to the other me.
"Isn't this what you wanted? Why—"
Asakura never finished her sentence. She disintegrated before our very eyes, no doubt due to Nagato. As for the younger Asahina-san, her older self knocked her out, since she should never see her older self, or else, the space-time continuum would be destroyed.
"Lend the gun to me," Nagato said. She then pointed it at her other self, sitting on the ground, with a fearful look on her face. Without another word, Nagato cocked the pistol and fired the needle into her other self.
The other Nagato then started to shine. She reverted back to her old self. Suddenly:
"Requesting synchronization," the other Nagato said.
"Denied," said Nagato.
"Why not?" asked the other Nagato.
"Because I don't want to," said Nagato.
"Go change the world to its former state," I told the other Nagato.
"Understood," she replied.
I then realized that the other Nagato was the Nagato who was at the bedside of my hospital bed that night. The one who said that the Integrated Data Thought Entity would punish her for her actions.
The older Asahina-san then said,
"Kyon-kun, think about where you woke up after all of this."
I thought of the hospital bed. Moments later, the older Asahina-san transported us to the hospital ward where I woke up in. The evening of December 18th, after the world had been reverted. I thought for a moment and realized that we were one crazy group. Two Nagatos, two Asahina-sans, and myself, not to mention the me in the hospital bed who was unconscious.
The older Asahina-san told me,
"Kyon-kun, Nagato-san, let's go back now."
Nagato and I then gripped her hands, leaving the other Nagato behind.
Ugh. All this time travel is gonna make me puke. If I were gonna puke, it had better be on Koizumi's face.
She then transported us to the time where I was being taken to the hospital by the ambulance after suffering a fall that caused me to enter a coma. I knew that the time stream had been fully repaired.
"Kyon-kun, focus on the time where you came from. The time where you told the younger me to take you back to fulfill your duty," the older Asahina-san said.
I closed my eyes, and I was back in Nagato's apartment, with the younger Asahina-san on my back. Nagato then told me,
"Sixty-two seconds have passed since we departed."
I could only gape at that.
And that was how I almost died, watched myself almost die, and see two Nagatos and two Asahina-sans in one place at the same time. Not to mention Asakura Ryouko disintegrate into nothingness.
"Okay Nagato, go ahead and start biting," I said.
"Thank you."
She then proceeded to very gently nibble at my wrist. Once again, the sensation was similar to a mosquito bite. Thankfully, the small incisions immediately closed up, no doubt because of Nagato.
"It is finished," said Nagato.
"So, what are you going to do tomorrow?" I asked.
"I am going to attempt to once again steal a small portion of Haruhi Suzumiya's powers. Subsequently, I will attempt to reprogram her perception of our relationship," said Nagato. "Until I am successful, we will have to lie low and act convincingly so that Haruhi Suzumiya does not suspect anything."
"Alright then. Good luck," I said. "I'll be going now."
"Goodbye Kyon," she said.
She walked up to my side, stood on her toes, and pecked me on the cheek. I returned the favor, and walked out of her door.
Yare yare.. I need a well-deserved rest after all of this.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, somewhere in the deep recesses of space:
"It shall happen soon," said a figure obscured in darkness. "The day shall come when I get my revenge on Nagato."
The figure then flew to the other side of a yet unnamed planet. The sun's rays hit her with enough intensity to light her up.
"Nagato will not defeat me this time!" said Asakura Ryouko.